Religious Education: Outreach and Mission Page 6 Every year the Tea Tree Gully branch of St Vinnies seeks our support in providing donations of canned goods such as soup and tinned vegetables, as well as non-perishable items like pasta, soup packets, pasta sauce and long-life milk. Once again, our Vinnies Winter Appeal drive has demonstrated a high level of support from the Gleeson Community, which has been amazing, especially in times of poor food security and the rising cost of living for everyone. As a school community and through our House Groups we collected a wide variety of donated goods including hygiene and grooming products. On Friday 13th September, a composite group of students from Years 9 to 12, along with staff, braved the weather conditions to participate in the annual ‘Winter Sleepout’ to raise awareness and provide outreach in the form of donated goods and money for the St Vincent de Paul Society. As part of the evening’s program, the students were provided with information about the plight of marginalised and vulnerable individuals within our local communities, and students engaged in service ministry through participation in a soup kitchen. Students were divided into two groups, where one group began constructing their cardboard shanty, whilst others started to prepare soup for our local chapter of Fred’s Van in Elizabeth. The soups that were prepared for Fred's Van included Minestrone, Pumpkin, and Potato and Leek. The vegetables and other ingredients were sourced through the proceeds of can recycling and other college initiatives. On Tuesday, 17th September, the Tea Tree Gully Vinnies group arrived at the Micah Centre to pick up the donations from our Winter Appeal, which culminated in an impressive collection of 945 individual items, including canned food, non-perishable long-life milk and packet food such as pasta, biscuits and noodles, as well as good quality second-hand clothing. They were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support, as the volume and quality of our donated goods highlighted the commitment of the students, staff, and families to supporting those individuals in need. The success of the Winter Appeal not only provided much-needed resources for the less fortunate, but also fostered a sense of unity and compassion within the Gleeson College community. This initiative serves as a powerful reminder of the impact that collective efforts can have in making a difference in the lives of others. On Monday 2nd December, the Middle School students brought their care group baskets to the Micah Centre where the food donations and gifts were collated and arranged for the Tea Tree Gully Vinnie's group to collect. The diverse range of food and gifts comprised our 2024 Vinnie's Christmas Appeal. Despite the impacts on the cost of living and multiple rate rises in 2024, the Gleeson College students, families and staff demonstrated a generous effort in sharing the Spirit of Goodwill and a One Heart community through donations of Christmas puddings, Christmas cake, tinned vegetables and fruit, custard powder, long-life milk, packets of assorted biscuits and fruit juice, pasta sauce and