1
00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:02,600
Speaker 1: Welcome to them.

2
00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:04,720
Speaker 2: Christian o'connel Show podcast.

3
00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:07,560
Speaker 1: We're talking about Backpacks of It Kids that we asked yesterday,

4
00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:09,760
Speaker 1: could you out try and get some money to pay

5
00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:13,119
Speaker 1: for twenty backpacks for children in need right here in Melbourne.

6
00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:15,880
Speaker 1: At the moment, it's over a thousand backpacks since we

7
00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:18,480
Speaker 1: started yesterday morning at eight o'clock. I thought we'd have

8
00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:20,080
Speaker 1: a quick chat here with the lady that we met

9
00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:22,320
Speaker 1: at the start of the year. We wouldn't know. I

10
00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:24,640
Speaker 1: feel terrible right there must be loads of these charities

11
00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,000
Speaker 1: that out there, kind of like invisible helpers, that we

12
00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:29,240
Speaker 1: know nothing about. If it wasn't thanks to a listener

13
00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:31,640
Speaker 1: Jason who in January, I was trying to give him

14
00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:33,519
Speaker 1: a thousand dollars in cash and he said no, he

15
00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:36,080
Speaker 1: wanted it to go to this charity that we all

16
00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:39,360
Speaker 1: now know as Backpacks of It Kids. We wouldn't know

17
00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:41,040
Speaker 1: about them. And then we met Sally back at the

18
00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:42,800
Speaker 1: start of this year, and that's what we said, we'd

19
00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:44,159
Speaker 1: love to do something on the show at the end

20
00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:45,240
Speaker 1: of the year. Sally.

21
00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:48,040
Speaker 2: Good morning, Sally.

22
00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:49,640
Speaker 1: I bet you can't believe it. We can't.

23
00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,680
Speaker 2: No, I can't. I can't believe it. It's going to

24
00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,440
Speaker 2: take a while, so that's just sinking in because that's

25
00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:03,560
Speaker 2: just absolutely massive to our charity, and it means that

26
00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:08,360
Speaker 2: so many more kids can have their dignity restored, and

27
00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:11,200
Speaker 2: you know, you just feel better about the world and

28
00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,120
Speaker 2: really feel I saw one of the messages from Adona

29
00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:19,440
Speaker 2: said that these packs are not only filled with essential items,

30
00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:23,280
Speaker 2: now they're filled with love too, And you know, I

31
00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,560
Speaker 2: really feel that, I really feel that every single dollar,

32
00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,480
Speaker 2: from small amounts to large amounts, has been given with

33
00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:33,040
Speaker 2: a huge amount of generosity from so many beautiful people,

34
00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:36,520
Speaker 2: and as you said, from around the world, this is crazy.

35
00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,399
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's amazing, Sally. I spoke to a Cory yesterday

36
00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:43,240
Speaker 1: evening right and he said that he he knew you

37
00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:45,720
Speaker 1: and years ago you were helping out with his charity

38
00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:48,440
Speaker 1: from your kitchen. How long have you been involved with

39
00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:49,000
Speaker 1: the charity?

40
00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:53,000
Speaker 2: They started back Pactice for VIC Kids seven years ago

41
00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,720
Speaker 2: and for the first year and a half we did

42
00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:58,760
Speaker 2: what we do from my laundroom and then from a

43
00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,280
Speaker 2: little room that my husband does under a pergola for

44
00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:04,880
Speaker 2: that purpose, and slowly had a garage here and shed there,

45
00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,799
Speaker 2: and then eventually moved to a commercial premise and now

46
00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:12,440
Speaker 2: we're in a premise that allows us to increase our

47
00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:16,680
Speaker 2: capacity and now thanks that it's amazing, amazing fundraiser, we

48
00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:19,960
Speaker 2: can now increase our capacity and help more kids.

49
00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:22,600
Speaker 1: And Sonny, why did you what happened? Why did you

50
00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:24,000
Speaker 1: get involved? How did you find it? Was it a

51
00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:26,079
Speaker 1: friend of yours doing some because it can't I don't

52
00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:27,760
Speaker 1: know how many years old the charity.

53
00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:31,680
Speaker 2: Is seven, So we started in twenty fourteen, and I

54
00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,600
Speaker 2: did that. I've been a care of foster care a

55
00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:37,519
Speaker 2: long long time ago for a short time, and certainly

56
00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:40,720
Speaker 2: have experienced children arriving with nothing, even when it's a

57
00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:47,800
Speaker 2: planned placement, and just not that long ago. In twenty fourteen,

58
00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,520
Speaker 2: I knew I was finishing up my work and had

59
00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:53,960
Speaker 2: a couple of other jobs, but just part time jobs,

60
00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:55,799
Speaker 2: and thought I could help. And when I found out

61
00:02:55,919 --> 00:03:00,560
Speaker 2: packed were being delivered from far north Queensland down to

62
00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:04,640
Speaker 2: child protection offices and foster care agencies in Victoria, I

63
00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:10,480
Speaker 2: couldn't believe it. I knew that, you know, Victorians are

64
00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,120
Speaker 2: a wonderful bunch and there's a lot of love and

65
00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:16,800
Speaker 2: generosity and sharing and caring in our community. So I

66
00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:19,919
Speaker 2: figured it would be helpful to do what this beiner

67
00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,440
Speaker 2: was doing in fun of Queensland here in Victoria. So

68
00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,680
Speaker 2: I started doing it and they took off because there's

69
00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:28,720
Speaker 2: just so much need.

70
00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:32,000
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, but Sally, I've got to say thank

71
00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,920
Speaker 1: you so much for what you and your team of

72
00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,880
Speaker 1: volunteers do. And you know, just hearing out starting in

73
00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:40,280
Speaker 1: the kitchen and I don't know how find your whole

74
00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:42,600
Speaker 1: story and the volunteers that we've spoken to thembout I

75
00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:45,520
Speaker 1: found it. It's both inspiring. It is a it's a

76
00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,880
Speaker 1: heartbreaking situation. You know that children are in that situation,

77
00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:50,760
Speaker 1: but they are and the thing is that people can

78
00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:52,480
Speaker 1: make a difference and they want to make a difference.

79
00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:55,440
Speaker 1: And there's something about the simpleness of that backpack being

80
00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:57,520
Speaker 1: given to a little kid, you know, and about the

81
00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:00,520
Speaker 1: torch and you know, the pajamas and the tracks two parents.

82
00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:02,600
Speaker 1: These are just basic needs that you think every child

83
00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:04,960
Speaker 1: should just have. But that isn't the reality of the

84
00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,040
Speaker 1: situation that unfortunately you guys would see every single day.

85
00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:08,280
Speaker 2: Soon.

86
00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:11,400
Speaker 1: Just so glad that you actually can feel the love

87
00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:14,880
Speaker 1: from so many people, like I said, all over Australia

88
00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,239
Speaker 1: the world. When people hear about this charity. The magical

89
00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:20,640
Speaker 1: work you guys do. I don't know, it just changes

90
00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:23,280
Speaker 1: your heart. You want to try and do whatever you can,

91
00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:27,279
Speaker 1: whether it's five bucks, ten bucks. It's amazing and I'm

92
00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:30,120
Speaker 1: so glad. I'm so glad that so many kids are

93
00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:30,800
Speaker 1: going to be helped.

94
00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:37,080
Speaker 2: Well, me too. Yeah, I don't know if I can

95
00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:42,000
Speaker 2: say much more. The fibrest into tears happy tears again. Yeah,

96
00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,839
Speaker 2: but yes, it is. It is truly amazing that so

97
00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:49,360
Speaker 2: many people have heard you and have now heard about

98
00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:53,320
Speaker 2: back actually kids, and we'll, you know, just be more

99
00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,600
Speaker 2: aware of the fact that there's so many children. Just

100
00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:59,680
Speaker 2: in Victoria, there's twelve or was twelve children. Now that

101
00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:05,520
Speaker 2: num is higher every day, every single day, twelve children

102
00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:08,560
Speaker 2: being placed in and out of home care placement, you know,

103
00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:10,160
Speaker 2: and we want to reach as many of them as

104
00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:13,560
Speaker 2: we can. And now now we can reach over one thousand.

105
00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:16,320
Speaker 1: Well, we're going to keep it going, all right, We're

106
00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,560
Speaker 1: going to keep it going. And people are still donating

107
00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:22,120
Speaker 1: money even while we're talking. Right now, it's just under

108
00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,479
Speaker 1: ninety thank you, just under ninety thousand. At the moment,

109
00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:27,480
Speaker 1: we're just under it. I'm hoping the next hour will

110
00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:30,000
Speaker 1: push over ninety thousand. But I think the thing is

111
00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:31,480
Speaker 1: Salni right, I'll say this to you now. I don't

112
00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:34,000
Speaker 1: upset you, but I think actually what it is is

113
00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:37,640
Speaker 1: actually people want to help. We're wired this way. This

114
00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:39,920
Speaker 1: is how we are. I think we just get distracted

115
00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:41,480
Speaker 1: in the noise of the world and the media and

116
00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:43,760
Speaker 1: everything else that goes in our lives. People do want

117
00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:46,200
Speaker 1: to help. And when you hear about these beautiful kids,

118
00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:48,960
Speaker 1: innocent kids whove done nothing wrong, it just you know,

119
00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:51,120
Speaker 1: it should be our most important thing as a parent

120
00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:53,400
Speaker 1: is to make your kids feel safe and them not

121
00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:55,360
Speaker 1: being safe. You want to give them whatever you can

122
00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,160
Speaker 1: to try and take away some small amount of the pain.

123
00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,640
Speaker 1: People want to help, Sally. So it's amazing what you've done.

124
00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:05,320
Speaker 1: I love your story. You're real rap soul, Sally, you

125
00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:06,680
Speaker 1: really are. It's amazing what you do.

126
00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:11,560
Speaker 2: Thank you, Thank you to you and your team and

127
00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:15,640
Speaker 2: to call the films this is just this is transformational.

128
00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:18,919
Speaker 2: I think Jack said, this will change our charity for

129
00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:23,919
Speaker 2: the future and and many many, many thousands of children's life.

130
00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:27,039
Speaker 3: Yeah. So shocked us yesterday when you said there's eight

131
00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:31,120
Speaker 3: hundred backpacks, eight hundred backpacks behind just this year because

132
00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:33,440
Speaker 3: of COVID and real it is sad to think that

133
00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:36,160
Speaker 3: there's that many that are needed, So this money can

134
00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:38,359
Speaker 3: be going to a more deserving charity.

135
00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,440
Speaker 2: Well, this is where it is at at the moment

136
00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:47,400
Speaker 2: this morning. That amount is going to cover all our

137
00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:50,280
Speaker 2: cops for our core programs for the next four months

138
00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:55,240
Speaker 2: and possibly longer. So to have that release that we

139
00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:57,719
Speaker 2: don't have the pressure of raising the funds to keep

140
00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:03,359
Speaker 2: going and meeting the needs is is phenomenal and really

141
00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:07,880
Speaker 2: really helps us to concentrate more on the packs, what's

142
00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:10,440
Speaker 2: going in and then getting them to the children, which

143
00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:14,040
Speaker 2: can be challenging that way. I was becoming those obstacles

144
00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:20,720
Speaker 2: from restrictions and lockdowns and so on. Now, so that's

145
00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:23,640
Speaker 2: why the numbers have gone up as far as the

146
00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:28,560
Speaker 2: request for our packs goes. And I don't know if

147
00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,280
Speaker 2: your listeners would be aware that donating seventy five dollars

148
00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:36,880
Speaker 2: does complete a ME pack, my essentials pack, But the

149
00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:39,920
Speaker 2: value of that pack to the child that impacts value,

150
00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,800
Speaker 2: the retail value of what's in that pack is about

151
00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:43,800
Speaker 2: four hundred.

152
00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:46,800
Speaker 1: Dollars more than that. In a way, something you can't

153
00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:48,880
Speaker 1: put a financial worth on, is it just to keep

154
00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,480
Speaker 1: being given something small, a couple of things that just

155
00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:54,640
Speaker 1: shows them that they actually matter when I guess they

156
00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:57,840
Speaker 1: feel that they don't. Is far more than four hundred dollars,

157
00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:01,840
Speaker 1: and Sally could us it is up to ninety two

158
00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:04,320
Speaker 1: hundred and eighty dollars. And I know you said, look

159
00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:06,080
Speaker 1: at the moment, this kind of money can help you

160
00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:08,520
Speaker 1: through for the next four months. I really hope, I

161
00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,080
Speaker 1: really hope by the time we give you an update

162
00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:13,240
Speaker 1: the end of tomorrow's show, maybe it's a couple more

163
00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:15,720
Speaker 1: months of next year as well. I really want everyone

164
00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:18,320
Speaker 1: to still keep giving the money, because the thought that

165
00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:21,280
Speaker 1: it's another four months is amazing. But I'd love to

166
00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:23,440
Speaker 1: push on towards the end of next year so you

167
00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:25,520
Speaker 1: can really have a bit more of a long term

168
00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:27,520
Speaker 1: approach for the first time in your history.

169
00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:33,280
Speaker 2: I can't thank you enough. You're a wonderful man.

170
00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:35,840
Speaker 1: This is the easy bit. This is the easy bit,

171
00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:38,280
Speaker 1: using this microphone for good for once, rather the most

172
00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:40,400
Speaker 1: a noise that I spew into it. So now it's

173
00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:42,680
Speaker 1: a pleasure. Honestly, compared to what you do, it's nothing.

174
00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:45,000
Speaker 1: It isn't It's a pleasure to better help. So Sally,

175
00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:47,320
Speaker 1: we'll leave it there for now. You're awesome. I'm going

176
00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:49,200
Speaker 1: to speak to you tomorrow morning at nine o'clock and

177
00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:53,160
Speaker 1: hopefully we've got even better news. Okay, Sally, all right?

178
00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:54,760
Speaker 2: Thank you having Sally.

179
00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:57,560
Speaker 1: Sally the best of us. I mean that you really

180
00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:00,320
Speaker 1: really are. You're just amazed and I love it all right, Dollie,

181
00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:02,040
Speaker 1: thank you very much. So if you listen to listen

182
00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:04,200
Speaker 1: you want to know more, please go to our website

183
00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:06,120
Speaker 1: you find out how you can donate. Whether you want

184
00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,199
Speaker 1: to do it through Facebook, you can find The Christian

185
00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:10,280
Speaker 1: O'Connell Show there, or if you want to go online,

186
00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:13,920
Speaker 1: the Christian O'connellshow dot com dot au. You heard what

187
00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:16,800
Speaker 1: they're up against at the moment. Thanks you generosity, which

188
00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:19,440
Speaker 1: is over ninety thousand dollars since at eight am, Missie.

189
00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:21,680
Speaker 1: That covers the next four months. Let's keep it going.

190
00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:23,640
Speaker 1: Can we get to the end of next year? I hope,

191
00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:24,640
Speaker 1: So it's up to you.

192
00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:27,479
Speaker 2: The Christian o'connells Show Podcast