FOR the fifth year, students at The Springfield Anglican College have collected and donated non-perishable food items to support Rosie’s Friends on the Street in its fight against homelessness.
Spearheaded by Year 12 health students, the initiative involves a college-wide free dress day where students donate cups of noodles instead of gold coins.
More than 1200 students contributed, collecting over 1800 meals, which were presented to Barry Reinecker from Rosie’s at a college assembly.
Principal Steven Morris praised the students’ efforts, saying the college encouraged students to be empathetic changemakers with a global and local perspective.
“Everyone deserves a warm meal and a kind word, regardless of their living situation,” Mr Morris said.
The initiative, part of the Year 12 health curriculum, requires students to develop an action strategy to empower their peers in advocating for those in need. Data from the event will be used to create action research reports for their studies.
Senior students reflected on the impact of their work.
College prefect Christiano shared his firsthand experience volunteering with Rosie’s, and said he was thrilled to be able to lead the collection.
Student Aiden highlighted the importance of understanding homelessness.
“Researching for our assignment opened my eyes to how many people are homeless and the heart-
breaking reasons behind it.”
Since 2021, TSAC students have donated over 9000 meals to local charities. With 54.7 per cent of homeless individuals in Ipswich being under 20 – higher than the state average of 37 per cent – initiatives like this are crucial in supporting those in need.
