News from the Welfare Shop
By Janeth Deen
Eleven months have passed since we opened the shop in Woodridge and we have had a very eventful year. In October, The Indian Times presented us with the award for Non Profit Organizations in a glittering annual awards ceremony held at the RNA Show Grounds.
Donations have poured in, and although the shop is too small to display all the stock, it has been entirely run on funds generated by the sale of goods. The location is ideal, we have built up goodwill and are now well established in the area.
Welfare Activities
We have delivered furniture and other goods free of charge to three grateful families in Toowoomba. We have also helped many disadvantaged families and individuals in Brisbane.
Recently the Welfare Association, through donations, helped “our newly-
In March, a Pakistani mechanic was retrenched after saving for two years to bring his wife and three children to Australia. If he could not find a new sponsor he and his family would be sent back to Pakistan. On advice from members of the Welfare Association they managed to remain here, surviving on limited funds. After seven months, the man was able to find a new sponsor who will help him try for permanent residency. He is so thankful for the help he received in his time of need and for the chance of making a new life in Australia.
Giveaways
We had a giveaway of mixed goods from the shop in August, held in the car park at the back of the shop. The giveaway received media coverage and the people of Logan who attended were thankful for the generosity shown to them.
The Welfare Association helped to distribute hampers and meat during both Eid celebrations.
The Welfare Shop conducted a toy giveaway on 20th December, receiving media coverage in the Albert & Logan News and the Reporter. Both newspapers gave us half a page of free coverage, The Albert & Logan News referring to us as “one of the leading organizations in Logan”.
The toy giveaway took four weeks of preparation with Janeth Deen and Karima Smith having to collect, wash and package all the second hand toys. Thankfully, landlord Alan Breeze allowed us to use one of the empty shops for the event as it was a very wet day. Babyhood proprietors, Fuzilla and Iqbal Bhamjee, generously donated a pallet of new toys. Members of MCF and the Queensland Muslim Welfare Association Inc, as well as other Muslims from the community, helped with the setting up of the venue and crowd control.
Six of Janeth Deen's grandchildren conducted a small concert to entertain the children before the giveaway. Max, Jessica and Hannah Radvan and triplets Mia, Caelan and Lars Forsingdal were happy to see the look of joy on the faces of the children in the audience.
Overall, the toy give-
We wish to thank Hussin Goss for the donation of donuts to both giveaways which were well received by the children of Logan. We also thank the Gold Coast Muslim community for the goods delivered weekly to the store.
Towards 2010
In 2010 we hope to employ work-
The Logan YMCA has kindly donated a 1996 Ford Falcon Station Wagon to help us with
collection of goods and distribution of small furniture. It would be great if we
could also acquire a utility as we have had to hire vehicles to deliver goods free-
Also urgently needed is a warehouse to sort and store the stock.
The members of the Queensland Muslim Welfare Association Inc. wish to thank all those who have supported its work during the year by donating goods and services. We appreciate the fact that many of you are feeling the effects of the economic downturn and pray that Allah will reward you in 2010 for your generosity and support.
Janeth Deen is the President of the Queensland Muslim Welfare Association. She can be reached on janethdeen@gmail.com and 0435 086 796.
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