By Natasha Fujimoto
POUNDING the pavement to run an impressive 300km this July, Jason Thomas openly admits that he absolutely hates the sport, in fact he despises it and to compound the matter he has relinquished all alcohol for the month to boot.
Reassuringly it’s not madness that drives Jason, but rather a motivation to combat an increasing rate of food insecurity in the community as well as to build an awareness around the prevalence of alcohol fuelled domestic violence.
A community mental health worker who runs a NDIS support business, Jason hopes to raise funds for Shepparton FoodShare, a not-for-profit organisation that redistributes donated food through 128 local, registered agencies.
“Economic hardship is hitting everyone in the community but for those with a disability who can’t improve their financial circumstances, services like FoodShare are becoming increasingly important to them.
“With donations falling at a time when economic hardship is increasing and more people are needing assistance, it’s clear what I’m about. Times are getting tougher, and hunger exists in the community whether you realise it or not,” Jason said.
Encouraging people to go alcohol-free in July to raise funds for people affected by cancer, Dry July is an opportunity for Jason to also shine a light on the role alcohol plays in domestic violence.
“According to the World Health Organisation statistics, 55 percent of domestic abuse perpetrators drink alcohol prior to assault,” Jason said.
Having already clocked up 140Km pounding the bush tracks around Mooroopna, Jason is keen to enjoy a gluten free beer again in August and hopes greatly that, “… People will get on board to assist those in need to get a feed and to ease the burden of the current tough times.”
To assist Jason in his quest, head to his GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/this-is-s-ocial-responsibility-300km-challenge or donate to the FoodShare bin at Woolworths on Archer Road, Shepparton after consulting the food list attached.
