CDU helping hand reaches out to 750 students

About 750 students have received emergency food parcels under a Charles Darwin University initiative to support students experiencing financial hardship as a result of COVID-19 restrictions.

Director of Advancement Simon Matthias said volunteers had made up about 1500 food parcels containing essential grocery items in the past month.

“Distribution has taken place in the Top End at the Casuarina and Palmerston campuses and at the Foodbank Warehouse in Berrimah, and down the track at our Tennant Creek centre and Alice Springs campus,” Mr Matthias said.

“It is important that our students who are experiencing hardship know that we want to help and that the program will continue into the immediate future.

“Many of our students, particularly international students, have lost their part-time jobs as a result of COVID-19 so it was essential that we lend a helping hand to try to ease their burden.”

Mr Matthias said the Foodbank parcel program had been made possible with a $50,000 contribution from the CDU Foundation, and with the support of a group of volunteers, including students enrolled in the Bachelor of Humanitarian and Community Studies.

Two of these students are Nyasha Matanda and Tafhim Hussain, both of whom are undertaking a professional practice placement with Foodbank NT, the final unit in their studies.

“I love helping people, it’s my passion,” said Nyasha, who has ambitions to work for a relief agency.

“These are really challenging times. Many people have lost their jobs and can’t afford to feed their families.” 

A second program – The Kindness Shake – is a community-led initiative designed to provide a free meal each week to those experiencing financial hardship.

The emphasis is to support international students who are particularly vulnerable, although it also is open to the wider student community so far as resources can support them.

These initiatives follow the launch of CDU’s Student Assistance Grant program, where grants of up to $2000 became available to students who demonstrated financial hardship as a direct result of the coronavirus outbreak.

Details and the application process for an emergency student food parcel are on the CDU website W: cdu.edu.au/alumni-giving/foodbank-emergency-student-food-parcel

Kindness Shake: E: ben.poveda-alfonso@cdu.edu.au or follow the Facebook page: Kindness Shake - Darwin NT 

Student Assistance Grant: W: cdu.edu.au/scholarships/scholarships-finder/cdu-covid-19-student-assistance-grant