Pubs with Heart

Supports Puddle Jumpers with $50,000 Contribution

The South Australian hotel industry, through the ‘Pubs with Heart’ funding program, has proudly contributed $50,000 to Puddle Jumpers Inc.

Puddle Jumpers believes no child should grow up hungry, alone, feeling unloved and that no one believes in them. All children deserve happy, safe and fun childhoods, because all kids matter.

Puddle Jumpers also believes the best outcomes for children is being raised in the care of their birth parents in a safe and happy environment. This is not always possible due to a number of factors, and sometimes sadly that’s through lack of basic necessities such as food and social connections with people who can support families in times of trouble.

Puddle Jumpers assists families with food and other everyday necessities through food hubs. This helps reduce the number of children being removed from the care of their families.

To meet increasing demands for their services, Puddle Jumpers aims to open multiple food hubs throughout SA to enable these safe havens for families fleeing domestic violence, families doing it tough and those who just need the extra help.

A vital part of growing the needed services is being able to employ someone to oversee, grow and support the food relief programs. Puddle Jumpers is extremely excited to receive the funding from Pubs with Heart, as this will allow for their first ever paid employee to oversee this growth.

Plans for growth include:

• Open more Puddle Jumpers hubs “safe havens for families needing help”, food, and access to phones and computers for people fleeing domestic violence. Ideally one in North, South, East, West and Central locations.

• Manage the food and other donations coming in and logistics of them going back out.

• Training for volunteers; first aid, mental health, domestic violence.

• Equipment for volunteers to reduce manual handling.

• Grow donors and supporters for improved services to clients and families.

• Increase support services – hairdressers, shower trucks, clothes washing, toiletries, domestic violence escape bags, nappies, clothing, etc.

The South Australian hotel industry is really proud to be supporting ‘Puddle Jumpers’ through the ‘Pubs with Heart’ funding program. We see the important role that Mel Tate and her team of volunteers provide to those in need. There was no question to offer our support, to be able to assist them get more meals to people in need and benefit the community. It’s this type of cause that is so close to the hearts of the pub industry.

- Ian Horne, CEO, AHA|SA