MEMBERS of Muswellbrook VIEW Club are calling on the community to sponsor a disadvantaged Australian child through The Smith Family this Anti-Poverty Week (October 13-19).
The local organisation sponsors two children through The Smith Family to provide vital support for their education, but many more young Australians are in need of help.
"There are so many families out there struggling to pay the bills, and education essentials like school books and excursions can fall to the bottom of the pile," Muswellbrook VIEW Club president Nancy Bullard said.
"The latest data shows that there are 1.1 million children living in poverty in Australia right now - and our club is doing something about this huge problem that sadly affects so many.
"Sponsoring a child through The Smith Family helps ease the burden, providing a combination of financial support, personal support and access to a range of out-of-school learning and mentoring programs to help them get the most out of their education.
"We've seen first-hand the difference this support makes.
"Each year, our members receive handwritten profiles from the students we support, detailing their progress at school and plans for the future."
Right now, there are more than 15,000 VIEW members across Australia who are fundraising and volunteering for The Smith Family to help as many disadvantaged children as possible thrive in their education so they can create better futures for themselves.
VIEW Clubs raised in excess of $1.1 million for The Smith Family last year and collectively sponsor more than 1350 Australian children in need to support their education.
The members also volunteer over 70,000 hours of their time to help young people in their local community through homework, reading and mentoring programs run by The Smith Family.
"We'd love more women of all ages to join our club so we can reach even more children in need through our fundraising and volunteering," Ms Bullard said.
"Supporting a child while they are still at school prevents the need to support them as adults.
"Sponsoring their education is an effective way to help them break the cycle of poverty."
To find out more about joining VIEW, visit view.org.au or phone 1800 805 366.
To sponsor a child through The Smith Family, visit thesmithfamily.com.au
