Our friends at Northrop pitched in at a spring Workerbee for a Lighthouse Foundation home in southern Melbourne, a transitional home run by our charity partners Lighthouse Foundation, who support young parents and their children to get back on their feet and move on to independent living.
Seven enthusiastic Northrop team members volunteered their time to help with gardening and car cleaning with help from Plantmark Wholesale Nurseries, Frasers Property and Lighthouse staff. “We assisted Plantmark’s Summer and Michael in planting herbs, veggies, and flowers, while also maintaining the current landscape by weeding and cleaning up the outside of the property,” says Sean Pudebat, Northrop Business Support Officer. “In addition to gardening, we got the opportunity to clean and detail four vehicles used by women with young children and their carers who do not typically have the time or capacity to do so. It was a lovely day full of gratitude, encouragement, and teamwork. With the assistance and support of the Property Industry Foundation who provided all the necessary equipment and resources, we were able to accomplish a lot throughout the day.”
The residents can now enjoy sparkling clean cars inside and out and a welcoming, tidy garden area. “As the saying goes, many hands make light work,” says Charmaine White, Lighthouse Foundation’s Property & Asset Manager. “Having the Property Industry Foundation, Plantmark and the corporate groups support us in this way makes such a huge impact in a short period of time. Their energy and enthusiasm is amazing to witness and be part of. The carers don’t have the time to tend to the gardens or vehicle cleaning as they are busy supporting the young people. Engaging contractors to do this work is often expensive and has a big impact on our limited resources.”
Workerbees directly benefit the residents of our Haven Houses. “The young people are proud to go home, they love the new herb plants, are happy to spend time in the garden playing with their child as it is an inviting and enjoyable space to be in,” says Charmaine. “By having clean vehicles we are able to show the young people they deserve to be transported in a vehicle that is clean and tidy.”
The team from Northrop came away smiling after a day of connection and community. “Northrop hope that the assistance we provided will help the at-risk youth to heal and thrive through their journey in life and future to come,” says Sean. “Northrop has a long-standing relationship with the Property Industry Foundation and admires what they achieve for charity partners like Lighthouse. Lighthouse does fabulous work for young people in need, and we jumped at the chance to directly support their haven house through this workerbee. This is an excellent opportunity to give back to the community with labour, time, and hands-on assistance.”
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