Foundation delivers crisis care packs to kids

An indigenous not-for-profit organisation in the Great Southern is delivering educational packs to children across the region to keep them engaged during the COVID-19 crisis.

The Baldjamaar Foundation, which was established in 2016, has stopped running its regular programs because of the global pandemic but in the last week have distributed more than 100 care packs for children and families in isolation at home.

Albany participants received their packs last week while children in the towns of Katanning, Tambellup and Gnowangerup got them on Monday.

The packs are designed to help children engage in learning from home plus with some other activities to keep them busy during this time when restrictions limit sport, recreation and interaction with friends.

Chief executive Damien Yarran said the foundation was committed to supporting families through the pandemic.

“We run programs in the four towns and thought we’d do up these care packs to support them,” Mr Yarran said.

“We’ve done up about 100 packs, with educational-based stuff and activities that kids can do stuff whilst they are isolated at home.

“The feedback we’ve had has been excellent so far.

“For us, it’s just about offering that support and reaching out to people.”

The foundation run an early years program for children under four while they also have a youth program for primary and high school students.