Richmond senior coach Damien Hardwick and captain Trent Cotchin have helped the Club’s preferred charity partner, the Alannah & Madeline Foundation to reach a bitter-sweet milestone, packing the 85,000th Buddy Bag today.
Buddy Bags are distributed to children placed in emergency foster care or domestic violence refuges, who often don’t have time to take their own belongings with them.
The bags are filled with essential items like toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, pyjamas, underwear, pillowcase, face washer, a book, photo frame and a teddy bear.
The Alannah & Madeline Foundation is a national charity aimed at keeping children safe from violence and bullying and its devastating impacts.
The Foundation’s CEO, Lesley Podesta, said that it is daunting to think of the numbers of children who have received Buddy Bags since the program started in 2007.
“So many have been distributed over the past decade, but we know the need just keeps growing,” Podesta said.
“We’re so grateful for the amazing work the Richmond Football Club and its players and coaches do to continue to help children most in need.
“The Buddy Bags are a gift of love that return a sense of dignity to a child and parent during a time of anxiety and stress. Sadly, the bags most in demand are for newborns to two-year-olds.
“I wish this service wasn’t required but, unfortunately, there is a constant demand from across the country. We are proud that together we can make a real difference for so many children.”
Richmond CEO, and father of three, Brendon Gale, said the partnership with the Foundation helped to put football into perspective.
“The numbers are alarming. The Foundation supplies 10,000 Buddy Bags to children in refuges or foster homes across the country every year. As a father, that’s a difficult statistic to consider, but for some families, that situation is their reality,” Gale said.
“As a football club, we will do anything and everything we can to support the Foundation to reduce the incidence of violence and bullying to children.”
Richmond will dedicate its Round 19 match against Collingwood to the Foundation, to raise awareness and funds for the charity.
The Alannah & Madeline Foundation relies on community support and donations to help deliver Buddy Bags to children in emergency accommodation. A donation of $50 can help provide one child in need with a complete Buddy Bag.
To sponsor a Buddy Bag, donate products or for more information, call 1300 720 747 or click here.
Richmond fans can also purchase an Alannah & Madeline Foundation membership, with all proceeds donated to the Foundation. To purchase a membership, click here or call 1300 742 466.
