Sands Queensland

Charity - Sands Queensland
Item/s - Memory Bags, Blankets & Clothing (patterns provided)
Links - Facebook | Website

Sands Queensland provides support, information, education and advocacy for parents and families who experience the death of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, newborn death or other pregnancy losses. Sands Queensland supports parents no matter how long since the death of their baby. Whether newly bereaved or whether your baby died some years ago, we are here to help you find the support and information you need.

We currently have a handmade memory bag program that requires items to be made to specific patterns detailed on our website HERE We hand make the bag to a specific pattern and provide material. We also make the keepsake blanket given inside the bag. The bag is called 'Butterfly: a gift for bereaved parents' and we have Butterfly Coordinators who distribute them to hospitals. Each Coordinator, depending on their hospital's need can also make outfits and blankets from the listed patterns found online HERE. There is also a Facebook page for the Beloved Butterfly Gifts which details items needed and patterns. For more information please visit our organisation's Facebook page or website.

Wildlife Victoria

Charity - Wildlife Victoria

Item/s - Handmade Joey Pouches & Possum Boxes

Due to many forms of human intervention our iconic and precious wildlife suffer every day. Wildlife Victoria cares for these voiceless animals and is committed to reducing that suffering and providing as many animals as possible with another chance at life.

Our incredible band of over 1500 volunteers responds to wildlife calls for help seven days a week with compassion, love and dedication. Maybe you would like to join us and help us succeed at attaining our growing mission? There are other ways you can help Victoria’s wildlife and not all of them include climbing a tree to catch a koala. On our website you’ll find some information on handmade joey pouches and possum boxes, two incredibly useful items for our volunteer rescuers and carers.

The easiest place to send them is to our office for distribution amongst volunteers: Wildlife Victoria Kindness House, Box 3, 288 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, 3065 Victoria. We’ll also take clean pillow cases, towels, blankets and sheep skins. For more information please visit our Facebook page and website.

Melbourne City Mission

Charity - Melbourne City Mission

Item/s - Toiletry Bags and Handmade Blankets (Knitted, Crocheted or Sewn)

Every day, Melbourne City Mission works with some of Melbourne and Victoria’s most vulnerable individuals, families and communities. Every week, we help thousands of people escape and avoid disadvantage, economic exclusion and social isolation. We have been around for almost as long as Melbourne itself and over the years have adapted and evolved alongside the people we work with, always responding to the changing needs of communities. Our staff are dedicated professionals, with the expertise to deliver holistic, integrated services that really make a powerful and sustainable difference to people’s lives. 

We work with the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our society. From children living with a disability, or young people with nowhere to call home, to people who need assistance into education or employment, we work alongside them, so they can build a better future for themselves. We help people find their own path to independence, providing them with the support they need along the way. Areas we support include homelessness, disadvantaged, aged care, people with a disability, people with ABI (Acquired Brain Injury) and palliative care.

Handmade toiletry bags for people experiencing homelessness would be very worthwhile at the moment along with blankets for people in aged and palliative care. For more information please visit our Facebook page and website. 

Lupus Association of NSW

Charity - Lupus Foundation of NSW

Item/s - Handmade Quilts, Knitted or Crocheted Blankets featuring 'Butterflies'

The mission of the Lupus Association is to work towards a world without Lupus and associated connective tissue diseases through support education and research into a cure. The Lupus Association is a community based counselling and advocacy service with over 1100 members throughout Australia. We are a non-government, not for profit, self-help organisation. We provide an information and counselling support service for those who have recently been diagnosed as well as those who have been living with lupus for some time.

October is 'Lupus month' and we host a number of fundraising events to try and raise money to assist our members. We would love to have quilts or handmade blankets donated, either knitted or crocheted, to be raffled at one of our events. We request that any items made feature butterflies which is our Lupus symbol. Handmade donations can be sent to The Lupus Association of NSW Inc. PO Box 89, North Ryde 1670 NSW. For more information please visit our Facebook page or website.

Central Coast Kids In Need

Charity - Central Coast Kids In Need

Item/s - Handmade Items for Annual Fundraiser Event

20 years ago in 1993 a local Central Coast mother was staying at Ronald McDonald House with her sick son when the Manager suggested she start a 'volunteer fundraising group' on the Central Coast to help other parents with their accommodation bills. These families all have seriously ill children with prolonged illness (a very large proportion are cancer patients, others with organ transplants and premature babies with life threatening health issues.

Not everyone is aware that there is a $33/night fee to stay at the Ronald McDonald Houses. As an example, following a bone marrow transplant a child needs to be isolated for some 6 weeks before returning home to the Central Coast. Bills for thousands of dollars would financially ruin young families. Central Coast families do not qualify for any government assistance as only families more than 100 kms away from the treating hospital are eligible.

To assist in the ongoing fundraising effort of our volunteers, we host an annual Trivia Night to try and raise funds for the families we support. It would be great to have some handcrafted items donated for prizes so we can raffle off a beautiful quilt, craft hamper or crocheted blanket as examples of ideas. It is our major fundraising function of the year, we have lucky numbers, raffles, silent auctions and also live auctions. Donations can be sent to CCKIN, PO Box 3268, Bateau Bay 2261, NSW. For more information please visit our Facebook page or website: 

The Cat Protection Society of NSW

Charity - The Cat Protection Society of NSW

Item/s - Small Blankets and Cat Toys

Our vision is that every cat has a loving and responsible home. Our mission is to work with the community at all levels for the mutual benefit of cats, people and the natural environment. We do this by finding loving and responsible homes for cats in need, improving the quality of life for cats by educating the community about socially and environmentally responsible cat care, actively working with government and non-government agencies to promote and improve cat welfare and honouring the unique relationship between people and cats.

As our kitty accommodation isn’t too spacious the best size is a 50cm square or a 30cm x 50cm rectangle as these fit well in the apartments. We have some volunteers who knit us slightly smaller blankets, possibly 30cm square and others who make us the 50cm square in polar fleece with a cotton fabric backing. Both are loved by the cats! 

Knitted toys like little mice or balls are fantastic too and are best if they are just made from wool with no eyes or other bits that can be chewed off. Smallish knitted teddies (or animals) are great as well as the cats who get lonely can cuddle up to them. If items are knitted, a basic stitch is best as some of the fancy stitching and wools can cause the kittens and cats to get claws stuck. Please send donations to Nerida Atkin at the adoption centre at 103 Enmore Rd, Newtown 2042, NSW. For more information visit our Facebook page or website: 

Cottage By The Sea

Charity - Cottage by the Sea

Item/s - Knitted or Crocheted Blankets, Toiletry and Tote Bags

Cottage by the Sea is a non-government, registered charity that empowers disadvantaged children by supporting them in developing their self-esteem, health and well-being. We offer weekly camp programs in a safe, enjoyable and relaxed seaside holiday environment, encouraging children to celebrate their own success and that of others. Our vision is that every child deserves a happy and a healthy life.

We offer camps to children marginalised for a wide range of reasons, e.g. family breakdown and/or dysfunction, domestic violence, emotional/physical trauma, social/economic disadvantage, cultural disadvantage, refugee status or lack of educational opportunities. 1,200 children each year enjoy the experience of a lifetime at Cottage by the Sea.

We are happy to receive any donations of knitted goods, in particular knitted or crocheted blankets as these are a great comfort to the children who attend our camps in the colder weather and a great memento of their camp experience. Toiletry and tote bags are fantastic items for the children also. Please send donations to 29 Flinders Street, Queenscliff, Victoria 3225. For more information visit our Facebook page or website:

Edgar's Mission

Charity - Edgar's Mission 

Item/s - Knitted or Crocheted Animal Coats

Edgar’s Mission Inc, is not for profit organisation that seeks to create a humane and just world for humans and non-humans. We offer sanctuary to farm animals in need while working to expand the public’s circle of compassion to include all animals. We endeavour to achieve this through education, advocacy and empowerment and promote compassionate and cruelty free living. Our mission is simple, our mission is kindness.

We love to receive handmade donations for our animals! We currently require small coats for our orphaned animals during the winter months. We generally use dog coats for lambs and kid goats and small knitted items for the tiny ones e.g. piglets. If you would like to knit, sew or crochet us some animal coats please remember we only accept products that are not made of wool or any other animals products. For more information please visit our Facebook page or website below: 

Cure Our Kids - The Children's Hospital at Westmead

Charity - Cure Our Kids - The Children's Hospital at Westmead

Item/s - Currently seeking small and large Drawstring Bags

Medical treatment is only half the solution when it comes to childhood cancer. Cure Our Kids is here to help children with cancer and the families who love them with the rest. Our mission has been to restore normalcy to the lives of children with cancer and the families who love them at The Children's Hospital at Westmead. Through programs that address the emotional, social and financial needs of brave young patients and their families, Cure Our Kids empowers families to cope with the many painful challenges that childhood cancer presents.

Cure Our Kids receives no government funding. Our ability to deliver vital support services to families in crisis relies entirely on the support of our generous donors and supporters.

We are currently seeking handmade donations of small drawstring bags for our Bravery Bead program and large Drawstring Library Bags for children on the oncology ward so they can borrow books from the hospital library . Donations can be sent to Cure Our Kids, PO Box 404 Westmead, N.S.W 2145. For more information visit our Facebook page and website:

Post and Antenatal Depression Association (PANDA)

Charity - Post and Antenatal Depression Association (PANDA)

Item/s - Currently seeking items to be auctioned off for charity fundraiser

Post and Antenatal Depression Association (PANDA) is committed to a community where perinatal depression and anxiety are recognised and the impact on women, men and their families are minimised through acknowledgement, support and education. Our mission is to support and inform women, men and their families who are affected by perinatal depression and anxiety; and educate health care professionals and the wider community about perinatal depression and anxiety. 

We are primarily a Helpline with little direct contact with families to forward handmade gifts. However we would be delighted to receive any handmade items to be included in a silent auction at regular fundraising events. Please send donations to: Anna Christofidis, PANDA 810 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy North VIC 3068. For more information please visit our Facebook page and website:

Pregnancy Loss Australia

Charity - Pregnancy Loss Australia

Item/s - Beanies, Booties, Blankets, Gowns and Smocks

Pregnancy Loss Australia (formerly known as Teddy Love Club) is a national support program for bereaved families who suffer the loss of their baby or babies from miscarriage, stillbirth, termination for feotal abnormality and neo natal loss through our early support program and professional support services.

We provide parents with the comfort of knowing they are not alone right from the beginning, and offer significant ongoing support and understanding to bereaved parents, their families and their friends.

The program operates in every state of Australia with the program provided to every maternity hospital across the country. We are leading the way in providing professional support, guidance and comfort to bereaved parents, their families and friends.

As part of the PLA program, we often receive items that we pass on to the hospitals to use for premmie and stillborn babies. We accept the little hats/beanies, gowns or smocks, booties and even little blankets. Any items to be donated can be sent to us at Pregnancy Loss Australia, PO Box 7176, West Lakes, SA, 5021 and we can then send them out to hospitals when we do our own allocation of resources. Our allocations are done twice a year and we send our resources to every maternity hospital in Australia. For more information visit our Facebook page or website below: