The generosity of Mount Gambier’s business community has shone through to help those less fortunate in our community.

In a generous move, a local business has made an ongoing financial commitment to local charity Four Reasons Why to enable a paid staffing position.

The Mount Gambier based charity was started in 2016 by Trudi Shelton, who saw a need for warm clothing for underprivileged local students.

The charity quickly snowballed into an all-encompassing community provider, helping those in times of need.

Ms Shelton ran the charity from her loungeroom, with the help of her four children and a group of volunteers.

However, the charity soon outgrew its operating method, becoming an incorporated body with a board of dedicated volunteers.

Fast forward to 2021 and Four Reasons Why is now helping an average of 2000 locals each year.

Board chair Di Ind said the business community had rallied to support the group, enabling it to extend its services.

“We have got some regular contributors who donate to the organisation, we became the funnel, people donate locally and it gets expended locally, people who need help today, not in a couple of weeks,” she said.

“Local services are maxed out, if people call us now we could have something sorted within the hour if we needed.

“The variety we as a board have helped, young people, aged people, homeless parents, homeless people, the list just goes on.

“Trudi was doing all of this work unpaid, however now the de Bruin Group has generously offered to fund Trudi’s employment for 11 hours a week, as well as provide a peppercorn rental office,” Ms Ind said.

Ms Ind said she hoped other businesses and individuals would follow the company’s lead and contribute to the community cause.

“As chair my ultimate goal is to encourage other like-minded members of our community to commit to regular donations to enable us to have Trudi in the capacity as full time founder and community development leader,” she said.

“I want to encourage people who can inspire kindness to help others in their community to strengthen the lives of those in need.”

Ms Shelton said she was regularly overwhelmed by the support of the Limestone Coast community

“My passion was born when people were helping myself and my family get back on our feet, there were people wanting to help us out because we needed it,” she said.

“Once I got back on my feet I felt such deep gratitude for the help we received that I wanted to help other people get back on their own feet.

“I feel really fortunate now that I am in a position and able to give, there’s no shame in asking for, needing, wanting or reaching our for help.

“I want people in need to know that we are not here to do this for you or to you, but we are here to do this with you, as a team, shoulder to shoulder and in this together.”

Ms Shelton said the support from local businesses was genuinely appreciated.

“Now I can focus on our goals and objectives as an organisation, which is reaching as many people as we can in need of help and finding ways to provide assistance,” she said.

“My goal is to encourage everyone to get involved in the cycle of giving, receiving and supporting one another.

“I want to shine a light on and celebrate our exceptional ability to care for each other in times of need.

“What I find inspiring in my community is not only the businesses and people that generously give but equally so, the people and families that receive.

“Those who put up their hands and ask for help and allow us to provide it in a time of need is appreciated and truly valued by our organisation.

“It really is a privilege to have someone say yes I will allow you to help me.

“I get to see the gratitude and tears of joy on so many faces of the recipients of support from FRW, I just wish everyone who gives had a chance to experience that also to see the appreciation and difference their contribution and kindness makes to someone’s day, week or year.”

De Bruin Group spokesperson Amanda Wheatley said the business had been watching what the charity has been doing over the last five years and seeing how the organisation has been able to help people in the community, especially with the calls to action.

“Whether it be a youth in need, a family requiring bedding, helping with memberships, scholarships etc and knowing that everything FRW does stays in our local community,” she said.

“This really resonated with de Bruin Group and coupled with the knowledge there are so many more opportunities to help people out there that were being missed.

“There are many gaps in the system where government agencies cannot help financially or an individual or family do not meet certain criteria.

“It then became a discussion with the board and de Bruin Group to find ways to ensure that our community was able to receive greater assistance from this benevolent organisation by ramping up our support of FRW and the community by way of funding an employed position with a clear focus on charitable services to those in need throughout the Limestone Coast.”