Women coming together to aid homelessness
Two hundred and forty women attended Jewish Care’s 23rd Annual Generations of Women Brunch, held recently at The Ivory, Elsternwick, Melbourne.
Guest speaker Alison Jones with Sian Prior
The event raised approximately $80,000 in support of Jewish Care Victoria’s Housing Support Program, which supports individuals and families in the Victorian Jewish community who are at risk of homelessness.
Guest speaker Alison Jones, author of The Jones Family Food Roster, was interviewed on stage by her mentor, ABC broadcaster and writer, Sian Prior. Jones shared her story of how the Jewish community rallied around her following her diagnosis with Multiple Myeloma, an incurable bone marrow cancer, a decade ago.
Jones discussed how in her time of need, friends, acquaintances, and even those in the community she didn’t know, came together to provide lovingly prepared meals for her family. This incredible community support and Jones’ journey with cancer forms the basis of her inspirational book.
Marilyn Kraner, Manager of Individual and Family Services at Jewish Care, also addressed the audience, highlighting the links between family violence and homelessness, and sharing the importance of Jewish Care’s housing offering in meeting the needs of those in the community affected by family violence.
“Unlike other housing providers, neither our housing offering nor our family violence support receive government funding. Our ability to offer housing support means that our family violence offering is unique; in fact, Jewish Care is the only organisation in the Bayside Peninsula region that moves from prevention right through to response,” said Kraner.
Tammie Slade, Member of the Generations of Women Committee, reminded attendees of the importance of supporting Jewish Care, saying; “Jewish Care is a truly exceptional and impressive organisation, unparalleled in any other ethnic community or culture. We are all so privileged and lucky to have access to this help when we need it. You can be sure that at some point in our lives we, or someone close to us, will need it.”
