MATF delivers Christmas gifts in Auburn-NSW-Australia

By Marilie Bomediano
Photos by Marilie Bomediano and Willie Plan
Sydney-Australia
January 3, 2021

Donated new clothes for men, women, children, sanitary goods and toys that were distributed by MATF-ASCON as Christmas gifts giveaways from good samaritans: Clothesline Inc alongside children’s large variety of toys from varied local churches and community donors.

Sydney: Amidst Covid-19’s toughest time, the Multicultural Assistance Task Force (MATF), a network of CALD not-for-profit community organisations, businesses, churches and private individuals that delivers humanitarian outreach initiatives ignited the Christmas spirit of sharing and thanksgiving to the multicultural families last Dec 20 at the Auburn Youth Centre, Auburn.

MATF Chairperson, Dr Cen Amores, was ably supported by Ghassan Alassadi (President of ASCON & Iraqi Renaissance Inc), Ruben Amores (returning President of Kapit-bahayan Cooperative Ltd (KCL), Violeta Escultura (President APCO Inc) and a team of project partners, donors, churches and community volunteers, were on hand to share the Christmas spirit of giving gifts to the multicultural international students and their families who were adversely impacted by covid-19

They have previously sent 40 boxes of clothes, blankets, food and sanitary goods.

Italian-Australian Grace Condon, the good samaritan owner of Clothesline Inc, Parramatta (with her PinOz friend Cora Veasey) donated new clothes for men, women and children and sanitary goods that were distributed as Christmas gifts giveaways during the event alongside children’s large variety of toys from local churches and community donors.

Emcee Charles Chan joined Gilda Pagaduan in performing a few jolly Christmas songs that added to the festive ambience and fully entertained everyone present

BNS TV shares Auburn MATF distribution :

youtu.be/JXlUlTX0TTQ

The attendees had the opportunity to taste the multicultural food sharing in varied flavours:

-        Pinoy sweets: Biko, Cassava Cake, Chocolate Cakes

-        Iraqui : Chicken Basmati and Quinoa Salad packed lunches.

-        I ndian : Sweets and spicy cakes

-        Turkish: Turkish Delight sweets that complemented the

-        Pinoy viands : Lumpia Shanghai , Empanadas Bibingka and Pica Picas.

-        Bottled Water , Tea and Coffee

International students: Rissa and Cesar Janea who were among the Filipino international students who struggled as a result of losing their part-time jobs, due to the pandemic, shared their success story of turning covid-19 onslaught into an opportunity to put up their small business, named “Cassaja Torta De Cebu” selling Mamon cakes called Tortas de Cebu.

Cesar & Rizza Janea, donated a large amount of their signature ‘Torta de Cebu’ or mamon cakes sharing them this time to other multicultural international students and other guests.

Special guest, Hon Lynda Voltz MP, Member for Auburn, Shadow Minister for Police and Counter Terrorism and Shadow Minister for Sports and Recreation expressed her sincere appreciation to MATF and other CALD community organisations for their support to international students alongside the Auburn Youth Centre for the free use of their facilities in a number of distribution activities that benefited the diverse international students.

Two acknowledged CALD community leaders such as Siddique Panwala and Abbas Alvi, both former co-members of Dr Cen Amores of ECCNSW Board of Management delivered their greetings and shared relevant information about the services that they provide to assist international students.

Siddique Panwala (guest speaker and former Board of Management member of ECC-NSW and the Federation of Ethnic Communities Council of Australia (FECCA), a solicitor and a migration agent who provides pro bono services to international students.

As a way of acknowledging the generous support to MATF’s humanitarian initiatives, MATF awarded Certificates of Appreciation to their project partners, donors, community volunteers, the local media and supporters.

The media supporters who received Certificates of Appreciation included: Radio Tagumpay 100.1 FM Triple H and Australianfilipina.com, Bayanihan News Newspaper, Ang Kalatas NewsMagazine) of the Filipino Press Group Sydney or (FILPRESSYD) spearheaded by convenor Jaime Kelly Pimentel, International media supporter: BNS TV courtesy of the producer Jin-chul Jeong also covered the event under its foreign correspondent Marilie Bomediano.

Recipients of Certificates of Appreciation for Supporting MATF’s Appeal for a Assistance to Diverse International Students and/or Appeal for Assistance to Survivors of Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses in the Philippines

Distribution of Christmas toys to children of Filipino and multicultural students by MATF-ASCON from varied local CALD diverse churches and community donors at Auburn Youth Center

Ruben & Dr Cen Amores (MATIF) handed a Certificate of Appreciation to Joe Caballero of Kapit-bahayan Cooperative Ltd (KLC), a donor and a community volunteer who generously transported the relief goods to the distribution venue with lady in green Violy Escultura (Pres APCO Inc)

Performers:

1. Marjorie Bernardo (performer international student)

2. Gilda Pagaduan (performer representing Kapit-bahayan Coop Ltd)

3. Ross Vinculado (performer international student)

4. Charles Chan (program emcee, volunteer & APCO Vice President)

5. Violeta Escultura (program co-emcee, volunteer and APCO president)

6. Carmen Fraser (Kids giveaway Coordinator, Volunteer & APCO Secretary)

IWPG Lady Churlya Wurfel of the Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers (Kababaihang Rizalista member, Philippine Chapter) received a plaque recognition as a donor-volunteer from Dr Cen Amores (Chairperson MATF) alongside with HWPL Ambassador Australia, AK NewsMagazine news correspondent Marilie Bomediano joined by Evan Duffy distributing the ‘How to Keep Yourself and Others Well’ - FREE BOOKLETS courtesy of the Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers

R-L: Abbas Raza Alvi (in blue shirt) president of the Indian Crescent Society of Australia Inc and Siddique Panwala(in pink shirt), Solicitor both representing the Ethnic Community Council (ECC) also delivered their inspirational speech describing the services that they provide to international students

Project Partners/Donors/Volunteers:

1. Kapit-bahayan Cooperative Ltd (project partner, donor & volunteer)

2. Austral-Asian Financial Services (project partner & donor-)

3. Auburn Small Community Organisation Network (ASCON) Inc (project partner, donor & volunteer)

4. Alliance of Philippine Community Organisations Inc (project partner & volunteer)

5. Auburn Youth Centre (project partner & donor)

6. Association of Pinoy Students in Australia (project partner, donor & volunteer)

7. Clothesline Inc (project partner & donor)

8. Grace Church (project partner, donor & volunteer)

9. Salon de Anne (project partner, donor & volunteer)

10. Crowe Production (project partner, donor & volunteer)

11. Super Save (project partner & donor)

12. Bosnian Seniors and Disability Association Inc (project partner, donor & volunteer)

13. La Sadi Accounting (project partner, donor & volunteer)

14. Diompillor Kissia Association NSW Inc (project partner & volunteer)

15. Australian Middle Eastern Association Inc (project partner & volunteer)

16. Sri Om Foundation (project partner & volunteer)

17. Filipino Women Support Group (volunteers)

18. Church of Scientology Sydney (donor & volunteer)

19. Filipino Lesbian and Gay Community (project partner, donor & volunteer)

20. Somali Welfare Cultural Association Inc (project partner & volunteer)

21. NSW Multicultural Seniors Association Inc (project partner & volunteer)

22. Iraqi Renaissance (project partner & volunteer)

23. Willie & Abigail Plan (project partners, donors & volunteers

Left photo:MATF and ASCON gave away Christmas toys to the teen-age and little children of Filipinos and Multicultural International Students; Right photo: Distribution of Christmas toys to children of Filipino and multicultural students by MATF-ASCON from varied local CALD diverse churches and community donors.

International student dad with his son happily took home a trolley bag full of goodies of Christmas presents posed with Dr Cen Amores (MATF)

Donors/Volunteers;

1. Illawarra Medical Services (donor)

2. Vietnamese Women in Canley Heights (donor)

3. Sastra Pty Ltd (donor)

4. Zeny Piosik (donor & volunteer)

5. Quality Dental Care (donor)

6. Dr Nirmala Chrishanthan (donor)

7. Mr & Mrs Brilla Quinoy (donors)

8. Mr & Mrs Rafael Amarille (donors)

9. Mr & Mrs ReggyTolentino (donors)

10. Mercy Abraham (donor)

11. Nhu Tran & Kelvin Nguyen (donors

12. Flor Barton (donor)

13. Nilda Ruiz (donor)

14. Nancy Casaol (donor-volunteer)

15. Ofelia Aloda (donor)

16. Mariana Uru (donor)

17. Mitchell Badelles (donor)

18. Mr & Mrs Aloysius Canete (donors)

19. Mr & Mrs Mario Saguin (donors)

20. Joe Caballero (donor-volunteer)

21. Lilian Luciano and family (donors &volunteers)

22. Hon Lynda Voltz MP (donor, supporter & Guest Speaker )

23. The Philippine Consulate (Supporter & Guest Speaker)

24. Pol Sadumiano (donor)

25. Pastor Ares Balatan (donor)

26. Mr & Mrs Michael Toomey (donor)

27. Mr & Mrs Fred Hernandez Sr (donor)

28. Cesar & RIZZA Janea (guest speaker and donors

Emcee Charles Chan (VP APCO Inc), a FILPESSYD broadcast media member joined Gilda Pagaduan (Kapit-bahayan Cooperative Ltd (KCL) in performing a few jolly Christmas singing that has encouraged public dancing that brought yuletide funfare to the ambience.

Certificate of Appreciation from MATF for the gifts and toys delivered to the children of the Multicultural International Students.

Left photo:Covid-19 information distribution via ‘How to Keep Yourself and Others Well’ - FREE BOOKLETS courtesy of the Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers; Right photo: Vida Fernandez, founder of the Association of Pinoy Students in Australia (AOSA) the MATF project partner, donor & volunteer) checking the temperature of attendees for COVID-19 event protocols at the Auburn Youth Centre, Auburn NSW

Far Left: PinOz Cora Veasey MATF volunteer and worker of Clothesline Inc who escorted donor Grace Condon owner of Clothesline Inc, both joined the audience of Filipino and multicultural students and CALD diverse supporters and attendees as reported by BNS TV South Korea news correspondent Marilie Bomediano

R-L : Italian-Australian Grace Condon, the good samaritan owner of Clothesline Inc, Parramatta (with her daughter) donors of new clothes for men, women and children and sanitary goods that were distributed as Christmas gifts giveaways during the event

Donated new clothes for men, women, children and sanitary goods that were distributed as Christmas gifts giveaways during the MATF event thanks to the good samaritans: Clothesline Inc, Parramatta’s owner: Italian-Australian Grace Condon & worker PinOz Cora Veasey alongside children’s large variety of toys from local churches and community donors.

Filipinos and CALD diverse international Students and their children who were adversely impacted by Covid-19 that has received food, clothes, sanitary goods and toys from MATF with supporters and attendees at the Auburn Youth Centre

MATIF past distribution infos:

muntingnayon.com/105/105838/index.php

Ruben Amores
Sydney, Australia
Saturday 2nd of January 2021

How we wish that other community organisations also keep on helping those people most in need, especially those impacted by the pandemic, wars and natural calamities.