Brumbies players visited Communities@Work Mt Rogers Primary School after-school care program to engage with their community. Photo: Supplied.
Part of the Brumbies squad headed out to Tuggeranong Community Centre on Monday (February 24) to connect with Communities@Work, tour their community pantry, learn more about how the organisation is helping Canberrans who are doing it tough and how the Brumbies can get involved.
Communities@Work is the national capital’s largest non-profit community organisation. It provides a wide range of quality early education and care services, as well as a range of community programs. It’s also the Brumbies major charity partner.
Dedicated to the Canberra community, Communities@Work invests every dollar raised back into the Canberra region to help those in need.
Its social programs provide essential food, clothing and accommodation to the vulnerable and disadvantaged, and the Brumbies strong community focus will help support its mission of helping those in need.
Brumbies players look at the food donated by the community and local businesses during their community pantry visit. Photo: Region Media.
Brumbies forward James Slipper said the team relishes chances to get out and help the community any way they can.
“As players, we spoke about it at the start of the year, that the community is a big part of our club,” Slipper said.
“We play the game for the community and our region, there are a lot of players around putting in some time. We are just enjoying ourselves being with the community and the kids here.”
CEO of Communities@Work Lee Maiden said her organisation was excited about the potential and power of the partnership with the local rugby union outfit as both organisations see eye-to-eye when it comes to giving back to the community.
“By leveraging the significant resources of both organisations – the Brumbies fan base, a successful high profile sporting team and Communities@Work’s community connections and reputation – we can inspire and enrich more lives together than we can individually,” Maiden said.
Communities@Work Mt Rogers kids thrilled to paint the faces of Brumbies players. Photo: Supplied.
“The Brumbies pride themselves on being a community club and are seeking to strengthen their connection with our local community. There’s no better way to do that than by giving back to that community. This lies at the heart of both our organisations.”
Another part of the Brumbies squad headed out to Mount Rogers Primary School to visit 88 excited children in the Communities@Work out of school hours care program.
According to program coordinator Michelle Evans, “the Brumbies were amazing”.
“They didn’t just sign autographs and say hi and shake hands. They actually engaged and they went on the monkey bars, they let the kids paint their faces, they kicked the balls around. They were at the table drawing or playing spin toys or getting their faces painted and their hair sprayed. They really cared about the children. It was an awesome experience for them.
“This is the reason we support them – their team culture’s so awesome and the guys are so humble. You can see that they really care about Canberra. It’s one of the reasons I love the Brumbies. Always have.”
Brumbies players getting their hair sprayed by kids during their visit to Communities Mt Rogers after school care program. Photo: Brumbies Media.
The kids loved it, too.
“I thought it was really great. I really enjoyed it. It was an amazing opportunity. What I enjoyed most was probably just meeting them and finding out what they were actually like, other than seeing them on TV. That was really cool,” one child said.
“I really liked the Brumbies because I enjoyed meeting them,” another child said. “I also enjoyed the experience. It was nice to see a Brumbies face get painted rainbows and unicorns. And it was also really fun to get my hat signed.”
Communities@Work is Canberra’s largest not-for-profit organisation serving the community in the ACT and wider capital region.
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