Another busy 3 months with volunteer sessions every 2 weeks & van loads of aid going out most weeks. Our massive winter clothing drive for the homeless seeing our community donations increase phenomenally. Van loads went out approx every 2 weeks! Clothing went to the Avalon Centre & VACCA. We also produced 216 backpacks for the homeless with the help of the team at Southern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Services. A lovely member of our community answered our urgent callout for a specific size & type of shoe for a homeless man who has lived on the streets for a long period of time & had a lot of foot issues & old worn through shoes.

Behind the scenes we helped a few people who had fled domestic violence & needed urgent items. Requests coming from social workers for this type of aid has increased.

Olive’s Place received a few car loads of aid for people in their safe houses, including warm winter coats and items for craft therapy plus baby items for a few pregnant women they are looking after. In 5.5 years, it was our 1st request for baby items & the community were amazing. All items we needed were donated in a matter of days.

VACCA received numerous van loads of aid including packs for vulnerable children, men & women plus winter clothing. They out an urgent callout for a few pregnant Mums under their care & once more the community moved fast to get these ladies items they desperately needed.

Calvary Aged Care received a bounty of used pencils, textas etc that were donated. We can’t pass on used stationary so found a home for this lot & they now have at least a years supply! We also collected & distributed items for 2nd Chance Cat Rescue

We also received at least 1,000 shopping bags which were far too many to store so the crew at Turning Point Food relief received a very full carload after they put an urgent a callout out.

Emerge also received winter coats & baby items, plus a large quantity of materials for art therapy. We also purchased bulk items to set up Emerges safe houses kitchens and laundries. All of this was funded from our fundraising efforts.

Southern FM community radio moved into Moorleigh Community Village where our HQ is based & they interviewed our founder Deb Brook.

Session were held to sort clean & dress around 600 preloved Barbies that were donated. We even held a mother & daughter session in the Term 2 school holidays to dress them. Even St.Finbars Brighton & St Patricks Primary in Mentone’s students joined in helping with a few hundred dolls. Thank you to the community for providing approx. 2,000-3,000 outfits for them!

A lovely partnership was formed with Sacred Heart Mission op shop in Cheltenham who collected men s winter jumpers & backpacks for our homeless initiative.

Crafty Conversations at Beaumaris U3A donated some lovely hand made knits and toiletry items.

BayCISS received a few loads of food donated by the community plus we provided non perishable food for their monthly outreach program at the New St Housing commission which was once a month for 6 months.

For the 2nd year in a row the amazing Ark Tarps facilitated us purchasing 444 new winter grade sleeping bags for the homeless & rough sleepers. These went to the Avalon Centre, BayCISS, Port Phillip Community Group and Homesglen’s Reconnect Skills First program.

And last but definitely not least, we are humbled to be announced as finalists in Keep Australia Beautiful’s Tidy Town awards! We are extremely grateful to our growing community for your ongoing support. What items don’t get donated due to the high volume, we purchase at wholesale prices from funds raised in our 2 annual fundraisers so please help spread the word as the more members we have the more we can help those in need!