Hobart, Tasmania, 7th September, 2011 – When raising an argument for the giving of greater overseas aid by the Australian government the response is often “but what about poverty in Australia? Charity starts at home.”
It Starts at Home is a ground-breaking new campaign being run by the Oaktree Foundation that aims to combat this perception by demonstrating the importance of the eradication of extreme poverty to the Australian people.
To do this, stories of everyday Australian’s giving their time, energy and money to the cause are being collected; creating a dialogue between politicians and their constituents around the issue and highlighting the extent of the movement to end extreme poverty.
“The movement is often stereotyped as being one of Uni students and hippies but it is so much greater. Thousands of Australians around the country, from those who sponsor children to Rotarian groups running BBQs to raise money for the eradication of polio, care deeply about ending extreme poverty and so too should the government,” said Laura McIlhenny, Tasmanian Campaign’s Manager for the Oaktree Foundation. “It is time for the eradication of poverty to be seen not just as an individual responsibility, but a National one.”
A Tasmanian launch for It Starts at Home is being held at Pilgrim Coffee, 48 Argyle St Hobart, at 7pm on Tuesday 13th September.
About: The Oaktree Foundation
The Oaktree Foundation is Australia’s first and largest entirely youth run aid and development agency.
Since 2003, Oaktree has emerged as one of the most dynamic and ground-breaking development and aid organisations in Australia. Our volunteers are provocative, dedicated and determined.
We now have more than 73, 000 members, have spoken directly to well over 500, 000 individuals about extreme poverty, and have achieved an incredible media reach of over 100 million.
Kate Shevtzoff, www.theoaktree.org
