Can you bake for humanity? At Red Cross, we think so!
Big Cake Bake is a fun and easy way to make a difference to people’s lives.
When you enjoy a slice of cake and a cuppa at a Big Cake Bake event the money raised will help connect more people to their strengths, each other and to the things we all need to build good lives.
Your Big Cake Bake will support some of these important programs:
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Read on to see how you’ll be making the world better, one bite at a time.
Help people like Aunty Carol find community connection
Connecting through a yarn, a laugh and sometimes a good cry is universal. Aunty Carol knows that well. The proud Kamilaroi woman lives alone. She has a rare autoimmune condition and uses a wheelchair. Once a week she settles in for a yarn, sometimes talking for hours with a First Nations’ support worker or volunteer. They’ll yarn about everything from family, to politics, to spirituality. These conversations keep her connected with her community.
Aunty Carol also receives daily check-in calls in the morning to make sure she’s ok, and when it’s safe to do so, regular visits to share cups of tea and longer chats. It’s all part of our work to stop people who are elderly or isolated from feeling lonely, and to support First Nations’ communities to grow and share their connection to Country and culture.
“They ring us up and we have a yarn up, and I know that people are out there caring and being compassionate and concerned about us.”
When you host your feel-good event this August you’ll be helping others feel good by bringing comfort and connection to people who are older and isolated.
$30
Could help Red Cross volunteers reach out to two Australian families after a disaster, in-person or on the phone.
$80
Could help us make a phone call each day for a month to someone who's living alone or isolated.
Provide a warm welcome for migrant women like Preeti
Connected Women is a program run in the Northern Territory to help migrant women make connections, learn new skills, and thrive in their new home. Most have moved thousands of kilometres and arrive not knowing anyone and speaking little English.
Preeti came to Australia from India as a young mum, looking for better opportunities for her and her family. “When you come to a new place you have to re-establish yourself, you have to start from scratch and that can be a bit stressful and depressing. But when you have a support from other women who are also facing similar issues so that gives you that confidence to come out of it.”
With support from the program, she found work in her field and has formed bonds that have changed her life. She now volunteers with the program and helps other women like herself.
When you connect with your friends and family this August, you’re helping refugees and people seeking asylum connect with the community and feel safe, supported and valued.
$30
could provide a public transport card to a newly arrived migrant to help them get to job interviews and medical appointments.
$90
could provide groceries to a recently arrived refugee family in Australia, helping them to start their new lives in safety.
Help people like Ushani bring comfort to others
Earlier this year, Red Cross volunteer Ushani spent four days at the Recovery Hub in Gatton, in the Lockyer Valley Region, meeting and helping people in real vulnerability and distress, following the devastating flooding across Qld and NSW.
She listened and comforted people, distributed items, and helped people connect with support services.
“As I reflect on my time supporting those affected by the floods, I find my own humanity and humility. The work Red Cross does makes a big difference to those we help. The small contribution of volunteers is part of that, and I’m humbled to have been part of it.”
Volunteers like Ushani make a vital difference when a disaster happens. They are the calm comfort and connection point for people in distress, many who have lost everything and have no way of contacting loved ones.
Your Big Cake Bake event can help us train more volunteers to respond when disasters strike.
$20
Could help to train a Red Cross volunteer in Psychological First Aid, so they can support people facing hardship.
$120
Could connect someone who is isolated with a Red Cross volunteer for a month.
