Twenty Hunter refugee students will be more comfortable at school thanks to St Peter’s Anglican Church at East Maitland.
The parish pooled their funds to buy backpacks for 14 primary school students and six high schoolers who fled war-torn Syria and settled in the Hunter Region.
The church formed a partnership with language education provider Navitas, which helps refugees settle in the local community.
Parishioners donated money to help buy the backpacks, which contain pens, pencils, exercise books, flash drives, calculators and other school supplies.
St Peter’s Anglican Church parish ministry apprentice Jesse Poole said it was a small gesture that would go a long way to helping disadvantaged students.
“It’s really important for us as a parish community to extend a welcoming hand to those in need in our community,” he said. “It will get the kids get off to a good start and will hopefully lead to a brighter future.”
Meanwhile, the church has extended its emergency relief service from 10.30am-2.30pm. They now offer a Justice of the Peace, open food room, supermarket vouchers and energy assistance.
