Natalie shares her story

NATALIE* knows what it feels like to be truly hungry.

The senior admitted she had gone weeks without anything to eat, surviving on just water.

“When I was in my youth, I was two years homeless, in my adulthood I have gone two weeks without food,” she said.

Last, year Natalie was one of 850 local individuals and families who received financial support at Christmas time through the Geelong Giving Tree Appeal.

The Geelong Giving Tree Appeal is an annual fundraiser run by Bethany Community Support in partnership with Barwon Child Youth and Family and the Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre.

Launched on November 12, Geelong and district people are encouraged to dig deep and donate to support local people experiencing significant hardships.

All money raised in the appeal is used to purchase gift vouchers and distributed to individuals and families receiving support at Bethany, BCYF and the SAFV Centre.

Natalie hoped that by sharing her experience, her story would encourage people to donate this year to help people like her.

“I’ve experienced the difference between having a voucher and not having a voucher,” she said.

“The main emotions that I have felt with any voucher or help I’ve received, is that’s it’s a surprise, a pleasant surprise.

“It’s like a very precious gift, somebody cares about my situation, somebody cares about my quality of life, somebody cares about my welfare.”

Through its 22-year existence, the Geelong Giving Tree Appeal has evolved from a toy drive to a fundraiser which last year raised almost $90,000.

Natalie explained that for people receiving charity donations, vouchers were far more empowering in that they the receiver the gift of choice.

“I remember during COVID receiving a hamper with a Christmas cake and tea bags and I thought ‘Oh well my life is made now! I’m okay, everything is cool!’

“But other times, you can feel like the dregs of society when you get something that expired a year ago. Even though it might not be off, you’ve been given it because no one else wanted it.”

“When you get a voucher, it can be anything you need.

“You stop feeling invisible, you actually feel like you exist. It’s a lot deeper than a trip to the supermarket or a trip to Kmart.”

People can register to fundraise for the 2022 Geelong Giving Tree Appeal at geelonggivingtree.com.au

* Name has been changed for privacy purposes.

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