As you can well imagine, ADRA has been… well… thriving, for want of a better word, throughout 2020. While the circumstances have not been good – the homeless, the hungry, the hurting people – through God’s grace, relationships have been built, church members have become more active as they have volunteered their time, and bridges have connected ADRA, as Christ’s hands and feet, with the wider community.
Just this year, since the pandemic was announced, eleven churches not previously active in this way, have joined forces with ADRA. Director Rebecca Auriant has been training them on process and requirements and seen their confidence in building community with their neighbours grow, as the 
members too have benefited from the ongoing community with each other as they serve.
Most of the churches had started with the goal of providing food for the needy, however with Rebecca’s encouragement, their influence has expanded as they have liaised with other Conference departments to offer more, such as healthy eating programs and depression and anxiety recovery programs.
In the wider humanitarian aid community, ADRA has developed a reputation for its reliable support. After its support in the Bairnsdale region during and after the fires earlier this year, when the pandemic began spreading in Melbourne, the Shire nominated ADRA Bairnsdale to be linked with the COVID hotline for those needing deliveries of food and care parcels.
Organisers of the Queen Victoria Market food support for the needy were very grateful for the support
provided by ADRA when restrictions were first imposed, as for a time, it was the only relief organisation able to continue supplying food, with volunteers across Melbourne preparing and coordinating the delivery of food packs to the homeless to their various ‘addresses’. The soup kitchen itself did not fully shut down either, serving food two nights per week. In Geelong, The Welcome Place, run by the Wesley Church, expressed their gratitude to ADRA in a letter where they described their amazement at the response to their call for help. The Geelong church members packed groceries, toiletries, personal needs packages and food vouchers which were distributed by The Welcome Place staff and were received with words of thanks in many languages.
Dear friends of the Seventh Day Adventist Church Community in Geelong,” the letter reads. “Please know how much we appreciate your help during these past difficult months. Your support is a testament to the generosity, kindness and care that abounds in our diverse and broad community.”
October would have normally seen our churches involved in their different collection projects. Without our annual income from the Appeal and our Op Shops remaining closed for a significant portion of the year – we need your help more than ever before.
You are still welcome to fundraise for ADRA – it does not need to just be in October. Go to www.adra.org.au/hangon where you can donate, or register to fundraise and we will get you started.
