The on-going series of charity hand-outs to the most-in-need organised by Filipino-
Australians and other multicultural communities in Sydney and responded by the local
communities made a dramatic turn when some children of the thousands of International
students adversely affected by the harsh economic difficulties due to the covic-19 Pandemic
asked the organisers for toys and children’s wear.
PHOTO – Humanitarian Support spearheaded by ASCON
Fully aware of the benefit of toys to children especially during social alienation and
community lockdowns, the multicultural Auburn Small Community Organisation Network
(ASCON) Inc responded in kind. It gave away children’s wearables and toys to some 40
International student families in addition to the usual bags of groceries and blankets.
The charity distribution dubbed Humanitarian Support to Multicultural International
Students and Their Families was held at the Auburn Youth Centre with the service support
and in-kind donations of the various multicultural community organisation members of
ASCON. This project was delivered in collaboration with the Alliance of Philippine
Community Organisations Inc (APCO), Kapit-bahayan Coop Ltd (KCL) Multicultural Assistance
Task Force (MATF), FLAGCOM, and Association of Pinoy Students in Australia (APSA) and
supported by 15 businesses, churches and not-for-profit multicultural community
organisations with funding assistance by the NSW Government.
Here are some photos taken by Ruben Amores, Kapit-bahayan Coop and ASCON founding
president that captured the atmosphere and spirit of the event.
The community volunteers
included Dr Cen Amores, MATF Chair and ASCON Project Coordinator; APCO Vice President
Charles Chan was the health protocol officer; ASCON President and Proprietor of La Sadi
Accounting, Ghassan Alassadi; past ASCON Treasurer and President of Somali Welfare &
Cultural Association Inc Fatma Mohammed; NSW Multicultural Seniors and Disability
Association President Yin Lang Ge (Aga); community volunteer couple Willie and Abbie Plan
and some APSA members led by Vincent Aquino, Josua Aquino Fernandez and Charles Jay
Fernandez assisted in the orderly distribution of goods. Kapit-bahayan former Maintenance
Officer, Joe Caballero again provided transport of the relief goods while many coop
members donated their children’s preloved toys and clothes.
Many Kapitbahayan Coop and local community members reported that their children were
very happy in knowing that their old toys and clothes were able to keep other children
happy during the community lockdowns! We received more new commitments for more
goods from new donors too.