Rotary Project

 

Western Emergency Relief Network

 

Multiclub, 9800, Victoria, Australia.

Keywords: CIRCULAR ECONOMY,  Recycled Furniture, Recycled Electrical

LINK: website

Recycling reusable home furnishings and white goods.  Sadly, many people can’t afford to buy the basic items required to equip a home.  Donations good quality preloved goods provides a solution.  Western Emergency Relief Network (WERN) provides emergency relief to people in need, by providing and assistance through our Member Welfare Agencies.

WERN is run and staffed by volunteers and is totally dependent upon the support and generosity of individuals, organizations, businesses and local government to fund its operations and meet its goals through member welfare agencies’ referral of clients in the northern and western regions of Melbourne.

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

Our volunteers are 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 our network of over 50 Member Welfare Agencies and 300+ Case Managers on the ground assisting WERN to deliver that much needed assistance to those in need. WERN currently holds in excess of 2,000 donated items available for distribution now.

Rotary Clubs: Rotary Clubs from Bacchus Marsh, Melton Valley, Wyndham and Sunshine took a lead role in establishing WERN and membership has now extended to include Caroline Springs, East Keilor, Essendon North, Flemington, Hoppers Crossing, Werribee, West Footscray, Williamstown and Yarraville Clubs to provide this service for the northern and western regions of Melbourne. Member Clubs provide the guidance and management of the WERN Board.

Member Rotary Clubs are invited to nominate two Club Representatives to the WERN Committee of Management from where the WERN Board is elected and accept the Club role as WERN Community Support Representatives. This role is crucial in both providing guidance to the WERN operations but also in assisting the Club to meet and assist any community needs identified to the Club in its area.

These members who assume the role as Club Community Representatives on behalf of WERN are able to assist those community needs through accessing the WERN Warehouse for whatever needs are accessed as appropriate by the Representative for the families/clients in need the Member Club is wishing to support.