Debbie Mason is the driving force behind Starting Over Support, (SOS). It all started, with a simple idea, and a desire to help those most in need while Debbie was driving across the Nullarbor. Since then, SOS has grown to become one of Western Australia’s leading Service Charities and has supported over 1000 families and individuals by providing them with furniture and household goods to help them turn a house into a home.
Soon after the idea of SOS was conceived, they had a small group of volunteers working out of a tiny garage and granny flat in Bayswater. The premises had been provided by Zonta of which Debbie has been an active member for the past 12 years. To this day, SOS is still a volunteer based charity and Debbie has needed to keep working as a bookkeeper so she can pay her bills.
The charity has grown in recent years with the amount of people SOS expecting to help this financial year topping 500, or 10 per week. Given this amount of people requiring help, it is no surprise that SOS needs not only financial help, but also help from people willing to volunteer. With regards to volunteering, SOS is in special need for people to help load the delivery truck and to drop off the furniture and household goods to those in need.
Fortunately, a not for profit organisation call People Who Care (PWC) have asked if they can join forces with SOS. This is going to help SOS, in not only being able to take on paid staff to handle the role of logistics, but also enable SOS to expand past its present boundary of Rockingham. In addition, this partnership will allow the current warehouse to be open 5 days per week instead of the 2 days that it is currently opened. Further, it is the goal SOS to find a larger warehouse because when there is an influx of goods it creates a great deal of challenges with regards to space.
An integral part of SOS is donations. Recently Bunnings donated $2000 worth of cleaning items, but Debbie needs other organisations to support SOS. Given that SOS is currently a total volunteer organisation it is reliant on the generosity of corporations, community groups, and of course, the volunteer base that puts the feet on the ground.
[Article from the meeting by Richard Nolan]
Further links on Debbie and Starting Over:
President Warwick, Current International Exchange Student Julia, President Elect Alison, Lauren Wolters, our nominated candidate for RYE and her mother Sue.
Photo: Doug Worthington
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