Supporting ME/CFS Australia (Victoria)

Being a member of ME/CFS Australia (Victoria) is a great way to support the organisation. Your membership fees allow us to continue providing our services to people with ME/CFS and their families, raise awareness of ME/CFS through community education, and participate in political lobbying. There are other ways you can support us too.

Volunteer in the office

If you’re able to spare and manage a couple of hours now and then volunteering, there are always things to do in the office. Answering calls on the Support Line, taking phone messages, compiling spreadsheets, developing databases, helping with mail-outs, helping in the library, and putting together resource packs are common activities for office volunteers. Members experienced in group work and have counselling skills may be interested in co-facilitating self-help groups and telephone Link-Ups.

Click here to download a volunteer application form.

Volunteer from home

Options for volunteering from home include undertaking a regular shift on the telephone Support Line; distributing information on ME/CFS by email; selling ME/CFS blue awareness ribbons for $2 each; starting up an ME/CFS support group in your local area; arranging guest speakers for member forums; and preparing library and shopping centre information displays. The office will provide assistance to anyone interested in these activities.

Make a donation

Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated. You can call the office to make a donation by Visa or Mastercard, or click here for our donation portal at GiveNow. Donations $2 and over are tax deductible.

Contribute to ‘Emerge’

We are constantly seeking new articles for Emerge, and contributions from members are welcome and greatly appreciated. It can be as simple as a few paragraphs about your daily life, how you’ve made progress in living with ME/CFS, and things that make your days enjoyable. Please send contributions to admin@mecfs-vic.org.au.

Buy products for sale

ME/CFS Australia (Victoria) has a small range of products for sale to assist in our awareness raising and fundraising. Blue ribbons, 'My Health' organisers and books are available for sale all year round, and Christmas cards are available from September onwards. An expression of interest form containing products that we are planning to have available in the near future is available here. Please fill it in if you would like to order some ME/CFS branded products for awareness raising purposes.

Encourage donations at your events

"Each year, our family hosts a Christmas Party for friends and neighbours. For many years now traditionally, this has been an occasion where we exchange gifts. But, last year, we did something different. Our guests were given the choice of either ‘bringing a gift as usual’ or ‘making a donation to ME/CFS Australia (Victoria)’. We told our friends that we would not provide them with a gift and that we would instead make a donation to the Organisation.

"ME/CFS Australia (Victoria) provided me with Christmas donation forms and information brochures, which I placed on a table with a festive-looking donation box. Our guests were enthusiastic about this idea and so in total , including our own donation, we raised $400."

To download the Christmas donation form, please click here.

To download a Birthday donation form, please click here.

Lobbying

Lobbying might include writing letters to state and federal MPs, local government representatives and other community leaders; or it might involve delivering information packs to GPs, community health organisations and other health professionals.

Shop at Ritchies with your Community Benefit Card

ME/CFS Australia (Victoria) is a member of the Ritchies Community Benefit Card program, which means that when you shop at a Ritchies supermarket, 1% of your total grocery spend can be donated back to the Society by scanning your card, at no extra cost to you. Contact your local Ritchies store for an application form.

Shop with Aussie Farmers Direct

The organisation has teamed up with Aussie Farmers Direct, a company that provides groceries delivered directly to your door. Orders can be placed on their website.

Of course if there’s something not listed here that you’d like to do regarding raising awareness of ME/CFS, please call us on (03) 9791 3100 to discuss how we can help you.

Thank you for your support!