Rugby heroes to join MA staff at Brisbane Winter Sleepout

Queensland Reds and Wallabies players Radike Samo and twins Saia and Anthony Faingaa will tonight join a group of Mission Australia staff from the Brisbane South Employment Solutions team sleeping rough to raise money for our homeless services.

Mission Australia’s Elia Tuqiri said staff taking part in the Sleepout at Citipoint Church are aiming to raise up to $10,000 to help people experiencing homelessness.

“In my job I meet a lot of people who are desperately looking for work as they are at risk of losing their home, or worse, are already homeless,” Elia said.

“In many cases, it’s not just individuals who are homeless, but families with young children without a stable home. Many are couch-surfing at friends’ places or sleeping in their car, because they haven’t got a place of their own. In the toughest cases they are sleeping rough in our community.

“I often think of myself as very lucky to have stable full time employment and the ability to pay my rent, have food on the table and a safe place to shower and sleep.

“Sometimes we take these things for granted – and that is why we have organised this Winter Sleepout to build awareness and raise important funding for Mission Australia’s homeless services.”

Former Reds player, Charlie Fetoai will also share how he turned his life around after suffering a serious spinal injury that brought his Rugby Union career to an end.

Charlie now works as a Mission Australia Indigenous Employment program mentor, helping young Indigenous men and women to overcome challenges in their own lives and get the training and support they need to find work.

“When I suffered a serious spinal injury on the field, I went from the highest point in my life – doing what I loved, playing professional rugby – to the lowest point, where I was terrified I might not walk again,” Charlie said.

“It was through self belief, staying positive and the support of my family, friends and team mates that I was able to recover and walk again. The experience completely changed my outlook on life, and has motivated me to help others who are struggling with barriers in their lives that are holding them back.

“The Winter Sleepout is a great cause, aimed at helping people out there who are struggling with circumstances hard for any of us to imagine – and that is why I am pleased to be a part of this event.”

There will be performances by school and dance groups from 6:30pm and the players will be signing autographs from 6pm.

Meanwhile on the Gold Coast, more than 30 staff from Mission Australia’s Employment Solutions offices and the crew from Southport Rotaract Club offices will brave the winter tonight to raise money for the homeless.

Good luck to all everyone camping out tonight for Winter Sleepout to help us reach our $250,000 fundraising target. To find out more about Winter Sleepout or to make a donation, visit: www.wintersleepout.com.au

Thanks to our City2Surfers for going the distance
Huge thanks to the 150 people who ran, walked and even skipped the 14km in last weekend’s Sun-Herald City2Surf in support of Mission Australia. There was a blur of red and white singlets in almost every category of the event, from the speedy runners to the walkers.

A few even ran the whole distance in their PJs, in support of our Winter Sleepout. Along the way hundreds of well-wishers, including Senator Mark Arbib and NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell, offered their support.

Of all our fundraising supporters, first-time City2Surfer Sook Smith outdid herself, raising over $9,000 for our services and sitting at number eight in the overall top ten individual fundraiser ladder for the event.

She joined Mission Australia staff, supporters and members of Team MA, made up of clients of our homeless services, at a post-race barbecue in North Bondi.

All those weeks of training with the Sydney Roosters paid off for Team MA, with all members crossing the finishing line. Among them was Wayne Richards, who has taken part in every City2Surf since 1974.

In the lead-up to the City2Surf, Wayne attended every training session with players Ethan Lowe, Cheyse Blair, Lama Tasi and Boyd Cordner.

Thanks to Wayne, his team mates, all our fundraisers and their supporters for playing your part in this fabulous community event. Your efforts have raised a much-needed $20,000 for Mission Australia’s support services.

RaboDirect Melbourne Rebels ‘Stand Up for Youth’

Mission Australia partner, RaboDirect Melbourne Rebels, took some time out of their busy training schedule recently to visit some of Mission Australia’s programs and services.

In May, players, Gareth Delve, Richard Kingi, Adam Byrnes and Tom Chamberlain enjoyed the flavours and delights of Mission Australia’s social enterprise restaurant, Charcoal Lane.

In Melbourne’s Fitzroy, Charcoal Lane serves high-quality modern and native Australian cuisine and aims to give disadvantaged youth the opportunity to train in hospitality and pursue careers in the industry.

“We really enjoyed our visit to the restaurant. We did a tour of the kitchen, met the staff and then enjoyed a beautiful three course lunch. All the food was amazing but our favourite dish was definitely the kangaroo,” said Richard Kingi.

In addition to the Charcoal Lane visit, several players invited some of the participants from Mission Australia’s ‘Stand Up for Youth’ programs to watch a training session and have a short tour of Visy Park.

Seven young people took up the opportunity and they were not disappointed, with the players showing off their skills throughout the session.

Following training, the players had a brief chat with the participants about how hard they’ve worked to pursue their rugby dreams and achieve their goals – encouraging the participants to set themselves goals and continue to work hard to achieve them.

Mission Australia’s ‘Stand Up for Youth’ programs equip young people with the skills and resilience they need to make positive choices in their lives. We provide support to youth experiencing issues with drug and alcohol abuse, family breakdown, unemployment, homelessness and mental illness.

Image: RaboDirect Melbourne Rebels players with Mission Australia’s ‘Stand Up for Youth’ participants.

Support Christchurch at the RaboDirect Melbourne Rebels game

Mission Australia and our new partners, RaboDirect Melbourne Rebels, are teaming up to support Christchurch earthquake victims at AAMI Park this Friday night.

The Super Rugby home match between the Rebels and ACT Brumbies was initially intended to be a fundraiser for Mission Australia’s youth services. However, in light of this week’s terrible disaster in New Zealand, funds will instead be directed to providing earthquake relief.

Fifty cents from every ticket sold will now go towards helping people in need in Christchurch. Rugby supporters are also encouraged to make a donation to the Mission Australia tin-rattlers who will be at AAMI Park collecting money for earthquake victims. You can find them outside the gates before the match and in the food concourse areas at half-time.

Friday night’s fundraising activities will officially launch the partnership between the RaboDirect Melbourne Rebels and Mission Australia. Throughout the year the team’s official Mission Australia ambassadors - Gareth Delve, Adam Byrnes, Tom Chamberlain, Luke Jones, Richard Kingi and Ged Robinson - will help raise funds and awareness for local youth services.

If you going to the game on Friday night, please give generously to Mission Australia’s volunteer tin-rattlers and support our cousins in New Zealand in their greatest time of need.