RIMERN-the home of residential recycling

RIMERN-the home of residential recycling
Keith Ryall

The Rotary Inner Melbourne Emergency Relief Network (RIMERN) is open again at 32-34 Lincoln St Brunswick East, after a temporary closure during January 2022 due to COVID safety issues.

From its opening in mid-2021 to the end of January, 57 deliveries were made to families and individuals in genuine need of assistance in setting up a home. Clients are referred through charitable member agencies; the Melbourne City Mission, Wombat Housing and Support Services, the Port Phillip Community Group and the Somali Women’s Development Association, to name just a few.

Volunteers from over 15 Rotary and Rotaract Clubs have been providing substantial assistance on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 10am, and 3pm and on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. We are now starting to see community members prepared to step in and help as well. Volunteers can undertake various roles within RIMERN, from being a driver of either our collection truck or van or being the driver’s jockey. Other volunteer duties include working in the warehouse, assisting member agencies’ caseworkers and clients, answering the telephone, sorting donated household items or doing minor furniture maintenance or repair work when necessary. According to Australian standards requirements, specialist volunteers are needed to conduct white goods and appliance testing, electrical checking, and tagging.

Come and support people experiencing financial insecurity as they settle into their homes. A small amount of time, even just an hour, is valuable and will go a long way to support those most in need.

Special thanks to the Darebin Hard Rubbish Heroes Facebook Group, which designed the RIMERN logo and raised around $3000 from holding an online auction of a commercial washing machine and dryer, which is now installed.

For further information, contact Carlton Rotary President Keith Ryall on [email protected] or Central Melbourne Rotary President-Elect Rohan Williams on [email protected]

Carlton Rotary Club meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month from 12.30pm to 2pm at Graduate House, 220 Leicester St Carlton and Central Melbourne Rotary meets on Tuesdays at 7.40am at the RACV Club, 501 Bourke St Melbourne •

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