The GIANTS have wrapped up their GIANT Hand initiative for 2021, finishing the year with a delivery of Christmas hampers to Westcare in Penrith last week. 

The GIANT Hand project, which launched earlier this year during lockdown, saw the club partner with several community organisations to provide meals to vulnerable members of the community who were facing the most severe lockdown conditions in Western Sydney as a result of COVID. 

The meals were prepared at the GIANTS training facility in Sydney Olympic Park, in partnership with Multicultural NSW, and were delivered (contactless) by GIANTS players, staff, local schools and community organisations such as Campsie LAC Police, the Lighthouse Community Support Network and the Addison Road Community organisation.

This week the GIANTS also stepped in to donate 60 hampers to the Westcare facility in Penrith after a fire ravaged their council-owned complex, losing some of their Christmas hampers in the process. 

The hampers were due to be delivered to families in the local area to provide a Christmas experience for those who wouldn’t otherwise have one or might be experiencing particularly challenging circumstances. 

GIANTS Head of Community Ali Faraj said the club was pleased to further increase its community outreach activities during a challenging period for NSW and western Sydney in particular.

“In what was a very difficult time for many people in Sydney during the lockdown periods, we knew as an organisation we wanted to help where we could to alleviate some of that stress, and I’m proud of the work that has been done” Faraj said. 

“Our goal was to support the multicultural communities who were doing it tough through the delivery of nutritious meals and to lift their wellbeing by having pre-made meals delivered to their homes. 

“One of the key values at the GIANTS is to enrich the lives of the communities in which we operate, and with so many people heavily impacted by the strict COVID lockdowns in different ways, putting food on their tables was something we wanted to help with. 

“The GIANT Hand project wouldn’t have been possible without the ongoing support of Multicultural NSW and our community partners, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank them – all of our partners, volunteers, GIANTS players and staff, and everyone who stepped in to help us make a difference over the past few months.”

Across the course of 2021 the GIANT Hand program:   

• Delivered more than 15,000 meals over 13 weeks to those in need across Western Sydney 
• Helped over 4,500 families and people in the community 
• Had 15+ community partners involved in the project
• Had 40+ volunteers jumping in to lend a hand 
• Assisted 12 LGAs across Western Sydney, Southwest Sydney and South Sydney 
• Raised almost $200,000 in donations and grants 
• Drove thousands of kilometers for contactless deliveries 

GIANTS Chief Executive Officer David Matthews said: “We’re humbled to be able to have an impact in our community during such a difficult time,” Matthews said.

“We thank everyone who was part of the program and congratulate Ali Faraj and the GIANTS community team on their tireless work across this period.

“The toughest times sometimes show the best of our people and organisations, and this was one of those occasions. Being an active member within our communities is the cornerstone of our club and this program has epitomised our community focus. We’re looking forward to continuing this important program in 2022 and beyond.”

The GIANTS would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the following groups and organisations for their donations and support throughout the GIANT Hand project in 2021. 

• The Butcher on Wellington 
• Fettayleh Foods 
• MD Provodores
• Multicultural NSW
• PCYC Mount Druitt
• PCYC Bankstown
• Sydney Youth Connect
• Lighthouse Community Support
• Addison Road Community Organisation
• GIANTS AFL Players (AFL Players Association)
• GIANTS Staff