Febfasters are making a final push for donations as they near the end of their month without alcohol, raising money for charities which include Rainbow Youth. The initiative has raised just under $90,000, closing in on last year’s total of around $100,000. Febfasters are now making final requests for people to help out by dropping them some cash. Rainbow Youth’s team is currently sixth on the leaderboard, raising more than $1,500 so far. The Auckland-based glbti youth support organisation will use the proceeds it takes in from FebFast to tackle figures showing queer and trans youth are much more likely to drink, drink often and heavily and to have had family or friends tell them to reduce their drinking. Rainbow Youth says it wants to change the way alcohol and drug use is viewed in the community. “The aim is to develop tools and actions to improve the dialogue, recognise behaviours and patterns we have when we engage with alcohol and drugs, help our community make safer choices and have healthier outcomes when we socialise and connect,” says Executive Director Tom Hamilton, who is part of the Rainbow Youth team taking a break from drinking this month. If you want to support Rainbow Youth, you can find its fundraising page here, get in quick – FebFast ends on Wednesday!
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 27th February 2012 - 10:31am