I don’t know about you, but I felt like winter might never end this year – it seemed to be a long one! Finally, however, the sun is peeking through the clouds, the flowers are starting to blossom and there is a sense of renewal and hope in the air – it’s Spring!
And with Spring comes the inevitable ‘spring clean’. It’s a great time for a clear out – getting ready for a new year and, if needed, a new start.
And at Eureka Mums we can help with both the clear out and the new start. For you, we will be happy to take your pre-loved baby items off your hands. For the families we support, with your help we can give that sense of hope and a new start, by providing them with everything they need for their new baby or for a child in desperate need.
So far this year, across Eureka, St Kilda and Geelong Eureka Mums, we’ve rehomed a staggering $2.5M dollars worth of items – thanks to you, our incredible supporters and donors.
From cots to prams, car seats to high chairs, clothes to linen, shoes to toys – these items are now where they belong, in the hands of the babies and children who need them the most.
And don’t worry, if you don’t have baby items to clear out – we still need your help with a financial donation – a donation that will REALLY make an impact.
As we head into the festive season, demand for essential items will increase and so will the number of orders we receive. Every dollar donated will help us meet this demand – so I really hope I can rely on your incredible continued support by donating to our Festive Appeal. Keep an eye on your inbox for details of how to give the best gift you possibly can to a child in need.
Thank you – and I hope this time of renewal is as kind to you, as you are to us.
Warm regards,
Ruth Holdaway MBE
Chief Executive Officer
Bulk Delivery of Support for Local Kids
We recently dropped off a bulk delivery valued at $17,846 to BADAC – Ballarat and District Aboriginal Co-Op. The delivery included cots, toys, book packs, and 48 clothing and linen bundles, all ready for distribution to local families in need.
We can only provide for the families that need us most because of you – our generous supporters. Whether you donate preloved items or money, we are so grateful for your help, which means we can continue to do this life-changing work.
The gift of freedom for a 17 year old mum
We felt privileged to help a 17 year old single mum recently. Ally (not her real name), lives alone and doesn’t drive, and so has been pretty much housebound since her new baby arrived. It’s a lot for a 17 year old to cope with, and the longer she stayed home, the more isolated she would be. Her social worker, Samantha, turned to us for help – and we were more than happy to oblige.
Samantha collected a number of items for Ally. Trish, who looks after our orders, handed over a bouncer and a pram to help this new Mum. She was also able to provide some nappies and wipes to get her started with the baby’s routine and a few little toiletries for Ally herself – to help her feel valued and appreciated – a little confidence boost at a challenging time.
Thanks to your support of our organisation, Ally now has more freedom. She and her gorgeous new baby can get out and about thanks to the amazing, good as new, pram we were able to gift to her.
In any given week, we can have up to 180 case workers receive items for those most in need.
We can only do this great work and provide for the families that need us most because of you – our generous supporters. Whether you donate preloved items, money or your time as a volunteer, we are so grateful for your help, which means we in turn can help even more Ally’s out there, and continue to do this life-changing work.
Amazing School Donation
Recently, a bus pulled into the car park at our Melbourne warehouse and out of it sprang an excited group of schoolgirls from Mentone Girls Grammar. The Year 1 girls had organised a donation drive and had ‘popped by’ to deliver everything from clothes to cot linen, teddies to sterilisers. We are so grateful to the girls and congratulate them on what they did for the community!
If your school, kindergarten or community group is keen to get involved, read more about organising a fundraiser.
FUNDER FOCUS: The Anthony Costa Foundation – a Philanthropic Partnership making a
BIG difference!
Photo: The Anthony Costa Foundation Board, General Manager and Family Members at the Geelong Mums Warehouse.
The Anthony Costa Foundation is a Geelong-based family foundation that seeks to make a positive impact in the communities where the Costa families live and work.
Earlier this year we entered into an incredibly generous multi-year, million dollar funding agreement with the Foundation. This ensures we can continue to provide our critical service to vulnerable babies and children, across the state of Victoria.
In addition, the family and team from the Foundation spent a day volunteering in our warehouse in South Geelong. This is a fabulous hands-on-experience, in which any members of our community can participate, and underpins the depth of the commitment of the Anthony and Elaine Costa and Robert and Rita Costa families to support those in need in our community. We are extremely thankful to all members of these families for their ongoing support.
Festive Appeal
Our Festive Appeal is on now and we are aiming to raise $250,000 much needed funds across the organisation. This will allow us to continue helping the thousands of babies and children that need us. Please give a gift that really counts and donate now.