admin December 13, 2024
Our Village charity (previously St Kilda Mums/Geelong Mums/Eureka Mums) has launched its Festive Appeal in the wake of record demand for its help.
The charity provides vital services by rehoming essential items for babies and children in need across Victoria. With the continuing rise in the cost of living, the need for assistance is higher than ever as families struggle, even those who have never before experienced financial pressure.
During 2023, the charity assisted 9,438 families but this year, Our Village is on track to receive more than 10,000 requests. And right now, they can’t provide for all of them!
Helping these families in need is time consuming and costly, from collecting pre-loved goods, to cleaning, safety checks, sorting, packing and all the admin in-between. While there are many valuable volunteers that donate their time to the cause, Our Village needs Victorians to dig deep and help with any value of donation they can to keep the charity’s operations running and assist as many families as possible in their time of need.
Of course, more volunteers and donations of pre-loved and new goods, such as prams, cots, car seats, clothes and bedding also help.
“We want to be able to assist as many of these desperate families as possible,” said Our Village Head of Community Engagement and Operations Julia Roache. “But we need Victorians to rally with us and help.
“Last financial year we saw an increase of 500 requests from families for help year on year and, as the cost-of-living crisis worsens, the demand has only increased and we are seeing people that have never before experienced financial crisis struggling. We are fast heading towards over 10,000 requests this calendar year. That’s over 27 families that are without the basics or unable to provide for their children asking for help every day!
Our Village Festive Appeal
“We have set a goal of $300,000 for our Festive Appeal and we hope that people play Santa and donate whatever they can so that these Victorian families do not have to go without the basics.”
Donations to the Our Village Festive Appeal here: https://festive-appeal-2024-will-you-play-santa.raiselysite.com/
Information on volunteering and goods/monetary donations here: https://www.ourvillage.org.au/
