In its 20th year, Guardian Pharmacy’s Guardian Angel knitting program has donated more than 50,000 garments to St Vincent de Paul Society (Vinnies) this past winter, in a bid to provide the 116,000 people experiencing homelessness and the three million in poverty with warm clothing.
The initiative, which has provided more than two million knitted garments over 20 years, called on knitting enthusiasts to lend a hand to those less fortunate by creating winter woollies including beanies, scarves, jumpers and gloves.
With homelessness in Australia increasing by 14 per cent over the last five years, according to Guardian Pharmacy, the 50,000 knitted garments distributed through Vinnies shops and services around Australia were a community effort to support those in need.
“The compassion of our Guardian Angels and the wider community never ceases to amaze us,” Guardian General Manager Brian Tomlin said. “We’ve been running this program for 20 years now and each year our community comes out in force to support.
“Guardian pharmacists often live in the communities they work in. Getting involved in projects such as this is a huge part of who we are as a team.
We’re incredibly proud of this long-standing program.
“On behalf of the company, we thank you for all the support you’ve given to us and the St Vincent de Paul Society; it truly has made a difference to the lives of people in need.”
Pharmacist Eric Ngo says he and his team at Gorokan Guardian Pharmacy on the NSW Central Coast enjoyed another successful year of leading the local Guardian Angels, attributing the success to the passionate community volunteers in Gorokan.
“The Guardian Angel program is very close to my heart and our team loves working with the community to give a helping hand to the local Vinnies,” he said.
“My job allows me to help and engage with the local community every day, and this initiative goes one step further and allows us to extend our care through a creative outlet; every little bit counts when you’re struggling, and a woolly jumper may make all the difference.”
For more information, visit: www.guardianpharmacies.com.au/guardian-angel.
