One thousand children admitted to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead (Sydney) due to crisis or abuse have received comfort through an Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and local church project.

The project involves “Just For You” (JFY) bags being given to boys and girls aged up to 15 years who find themselves in distressing circumstances. Each bag contains comfort items like a blanket and age and gender appropriate toys, coloring/activity books, pens and pencils, personal toiletries like toothbrushes/toothpaste, soap and face washer, shampoo, comb or hairbrush.

The project began 10 years ago and, recently, the 1000th JFY bag was delivered.

“JFY bags is an ADRA project supported and run by volunteers from Blacktown and Penrith churches,” said JFY project coordinator Noelene Mackintosh.

“Seven volunteers are directly concerned with the project, each with their varying roles—making the bags, purchasing items, fundraising, packing and delivering the bags.

“We do not have direct contact with the children for privacy reasons but since 2007 we have distributed 1000 bags—this means that 1000 hurting kids have had the joy of knowing that someone out there really cares.”