Staff from a western suburbs business have cheerfully gone on an 18-kilometre walk to help disadvantaged young people turn their lives around.
More than 100 employees from Sunshine West’s Mahercorp walked from Aberfeldie to Williamstown last Friday to raise money for not-for-profit organisation Whitelion.
Whitelion supports disadvantaged young people by providing them with mentoring, help in finding employment and support while in custody.
It also runs a food van for young people living on the streets in Wyndham.
The walkers raised more than $43,000.
Whitelion volunteers, including Wyndham outreach worker Roger Antochi, also joined the walk.
Mr Antochi said the money raised would make a significant difference to the lives of Wyndham’s disadvantaged young people.
He said that in the past year there had been an increase in young people between the ages of 15 and 25 with nowhere to live.
He estimated that three to five young people in Wyndham were becoming homeless every week, while many more young people in the city without a permanent home were ‘‘couch surfing’’ and relying on the generosity of friends.
Whitelion national partnerships manager Rachel Porter said the support of businesses such as Mahercorp kept Whitelion operating.
“It’s important that businesses know the support of organisations like Mahercorp enables us to provide vital community services,” she said. “The money raised will go towards Whitelion’s employment and outreach programs in the western suburbs.”
