Club Meeting - Guest Speaker - Susie Cole - Inner Melbourne Emergency Relief Network

Online Club Meeting via Zoom

Topic & Speaker: Susie Cole, Rotary Club of Prahran

This weeks' meeting will feature 2 components:

• Presentation by Susie Cole on the proposed launch of a Rotary Inner Melbourne Emergency Relief Network
• Workshop by Jaqui O'Donohoe (Southank Rotary Public Image Director) on video presentations for membership month.

RIMERN will complement WERN in the western suburbs, EERN in the east and the new BERN in the Bayside area.

This network of Emergency Relief agencies supply much needed furniture, appliances & household essentials for families in need, and until now, the inner Melbourne area has been missed.

Background

RIMERN will offer the same services as WERN & EERN, ie.

Western Emergency Relief Network (WERN) provides emergency relief and assistance through supplying good quality second hand furniture, electronic and whitegoods, to people in need due to homelessness, mental health, family violence, refugee, fire or flood situations.

The people assisted are those who have been identified to have an urgent need for material aid as a result of experiencing trauma or loss, where they have a need to move or perhaps cannot afford basic living requirements, where they are struggling to buy essentials such as furniture and other household goods.

WERN manages a group of volunteers responsible for the collection, assessment, the repair and cleaning of donated goods. WERN facilitates the supply of all appropriate items to be available to individuals and families in need through their network of Member Welfare Agencies. With over 40 partner agencies and 220 accredited Case managers the WERN program is making a marked difference on the ground in assisting those in crisis.

Rotary Clubs from Bacchus Marsh, Caroline Springs, Essendon North, Hoppers Crossing, Melton Valley, Werribee, Wyndham and Yarraville are taking a lead role in managing WERN to provide this service.
The Program currently operates from a warehouse located in Derrimut & WERN has assisted over 600 families since inception.

Area of Operations:

The Municipal Councils in the WERN region are: Brimbank; Hobson's Bay; Hume; Maribyrnong; Melton; Moonee Valley; Moorabool; Moreland and Wyndham.

Eastern Emergency Relief Network EERN was established in October 1995 at the instigation of local community based organisations providing community support in the City of Whitehorse.  It had been recognised that there was a need for a central source of second-hand furniture and other household goods for re-distribution, as emergency aid, to those requiring support in the community.  Since that time, the support has expanded to also include the Local Government areas of Manningham, Maroondah, Knox, Monash and Boroondara.