The Australian Outback Baby Project

Charity - The Australian Outback Baby Project
Items - Handmade Toys and Baby Sets
Links - Facebook

The Project is made up of many wonderful volunteers from mostly Australia and some from around the world. We knit, sew,quilt, felt and or crochet clothes and items for donation to hospitals, Outreach clinics and remote midwives in Outback Australia and rural New South Wales as well as Careflight NSW & NT so that they can donate the gift sets to grieving families of stillborn & miscarried babies and give comfort to preemie babies whilst in hospital and their flight to hospital.

We receive no government funding help what so ever, and rely on community donations & sponsorship to create our care packs and special baby packs. At the moment what we really need is hand made (sewn, knitted, crocheted) toys please. Also baby sets in Aboriginal colours (Black, yellow, red) and Torres Strait colours (blue, green, white, black).

Yasminah's Gift of Hope

Charity - Yasminah's Gift of Hope
Items - Baby Blankets, Quilts, Beanies, Booties & Teddies
Links - Facebook | Website

Yasminah's Gift of Hope provide a Gift of Hope, support and guidance for premature birth, pregnancy, neonatal and infant loss. Ensuring parents receive early, ongoing support, information and an opportunity to create lasting memories and keepsakes of their time with their child to treasure forever. 1 in 4 pregnancies in Australia ends in miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death, 1 in 10 babies in Australia are born premature.

Gift Of Hope journals provide families a place to freely express their thoughts feelings and emotions.Every Gift of Hope Journal is lovingly hand made by a dedicated team of volunteers across Australia. Our journals are supplied to over 100 hospitals across Australia & are also supplied directly to bereaved families. Our Gift of Hope support packs also include Angel Gowns (burial gowns), a handmade crocheted blanket/quilt, beanie & booties & a teddy bear/handmade teddy/animal. We also provide packs for premature babies which include a journal & also handmade items.

Yasminah's Gift of Hope relies solely on donations from the community. We are growing rapidly & welcome new volunteers to our 'family' & are always so very grateful for the generous donations we receive from the handmade community. All donations can be sent to: Yasminah's Gift of Hope, PO Box 237, Quakers Hill, NSW, 2763. We have a variety of free knitting and crochet patterns on our website for you to choose from.

Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH)

Charity - Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH)
Items - Knitted toys, Baby cardigans, Bassinet blankets
Links - Facebook | Website

RBWH Foundation is the charity arm of Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH), Queensland's largest hospital. The Foundation's role is to fill that funding gap. Money raised by RBWH Foundation is used to fund research on the campus, purchase vital pieces of equipment and enable key health professionals to attend additional training programs, conferences and seminars. To raise these funds, the Foundation relies heavily on the support of the community.

It is through the generosity of many individuals, businesses and community groups that we are able to assist the hospital in its life-saving work.
The Foundation has a small shop at RBWH staffed by volunteers that sells a variety of handcrafted items. The best selling items are small knitted toys and baby cardigans that visitors purchase as gifts for newborn babies. We are currently seeking donations of these items. We are also gratefully accepting items for the Maternity Ward, specifically bassinets blankets (approximately 60cm square). All generous donations can be sent to Rita Grice, PO 94, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Qld 4029. For more information  Facebook page and website or call 07 3646 7588.

Women's and Children's Hospital Foundation

Charity - Women's & Children's Hospital Foundation

Item/s - Quilts for Babies & Children, Drawstring Library Bags and Pillowcases

The Women's & Children's Hospital Foundation Inc is the official charity of the Women's & Children's Hospital in Adelaide, South Australia. We are committed to ensuring that children and their families have access to the very best in medical care and support services at a time when they need it most. And that's why we need your help. Your support will ensure that we can continue to make a difference for South Australian women, babies and children, now and into the future.

We are currently accepting handmade quilts, fabric carry bags similar to a library bag and personalised pillow cases. As we have a lot of children that have lengthy stays we like to make their bed and room feel a little like home. All generous donations can be sent to Teresa Whitehorn - Community Partnerships, Women's & Children's Hospital Foundation, 55 King William Road, North Adelaide 4006, SA. For more information visit our Facebook page or website.

Street Swags

Charity - Street Swags

Item/s - Gloves, Scarves, Beanies and Socks

Our objectives are to provide homeless people with “Street Swags” in order to reduce the negative effects, illness and number of deaths  attributed to homelessness in Australia. 

We are currently seeking donations of winter woolies (knitted, crocheted or sewn, beanies, socks, gloves, scarves) to hand out to homeless people when receiving a Street Swag. All donations can be sent to Reply Paid 85789 Brisbane 4001, Queensland. For more information visit our Facebook page and 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: 

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:

The Salvation Army

Charity - The Salvation Army

Item/s - Handmade items to be sold or donated

The Salvation Army is about people finding freedom. We believe in freedom through community. We believe in the power of community. People loving other people, and people helping other people. Those who ‘have’ sharing generously – sacrificially – with those who don’t. People finding acceptance, encouragement, healing and support without discrimination. We believe no-one should have to ‘go it alone’.

Salvos Stores will gladly accept handmade goods, which will then be sold in store with the money raised going directly to people in need. Alternatively people can contact their local Salvation Army welfare centre if they would like their handmade goods to go directly to a person in need. We have hundreds of welfare centres throughout Australia however each welfare centre will have their own guidelines on what they can accept and what will be most useful to their clients. If you prefer this method the best thing to do is enter your suburb here: http://my.salvos.org.au/about-us/contact-us/find-the-salvos-near-you/. Under "Type" select community welfare and from there you can contact your closest welfare centre to discuss what kind of items are the most useful. For more information visit our Facebook page or website:

Tea Cosy Competition for Cancer Council Victoria

Charity - Cancer Council Victoria
Item/s - Tea Cosies

Every year, almost 30,000 Victorians will be diagnosed with cancer, and 11,000 will die from cancer. The number of cases will increase as our population grows and ages. Survival will also improve as we get better at early detection and treatment of cancer.

Since their establishment in 1937, Cancer Council Victoria has developed an international reputation for our innovative work in cancer research, prevention and support. As an independent, not-for-profit organisation, the Cancer Council plays a leading role in reducing the impact of all cancers on all people.

If you’ve always wanted to make a tea cosy here’s a good reason! The aim of the competition is to raise $10,000 for the Australian Cancer Council. There is a $250 prize for the best tea cosy, as judged by our panel! Entries can be posted to ‘Tea Cosy Competition’ PO Box 109, Ringwood East Post Office, 3135.

Closing date for entries is Friday 27th June, 2014. The tea cosies will be on display and for sale at Warratina Lavender Farm from 5th-13th July, 2014. To make a donation click on the website below.

Country Women's Association - Frankston South

Charity- Local Community (Frankston, Vic)
Item/s - Premmie Beanies, Calico Dolls, Bed Socks

As a member of the Country Women's Association (CWA) there are an endless number of ways you can be involved with your community. Each state or territory manages their own office, and acts as a guide for CWA branches across that state.

From getting involved in projects, campaigning on issues or becoming part of an interest group, the Frankston CWA Branch offers a diverse range of opportunities. Local participation can include fundraising at events to sharing delicious recipes!

Premature babies in Frankston Hospital’s Special Care Nursery will be warm and snug this Winter, thanks to the ladies of the Frankston CWA Craft Group. The craft group recently presented 191 ‘premmie beanies’ to the nursery as well as 164 calico dolls to be used in Radiology and the Paediatric Departments. Last year the group donated around 900 handmade items including blankets and bed socks to Frankston Hospital, cancer treatment centres and various nursing homes.

They hope the gifts bring cheer and comfort to the children, and support and care to members of the community. Frankston CWA has been supporting residents of Frankston and surrounds for 79 years. They meet Wednesdays fortnightly. For more information visit their Facebook Page or CWA Victoria website via the link below.

Warming Beautiful Souls

Charity - Pediatrics
Item/s - Handmade gift for children & teenagers

Warming Beautiful Souls was created to bring moments of happiness to children battling cancer, inspired by the beautiful children we met during our own daughter Maya's journey with cancer. Maya was born with Rhabdomyosarcoma and spent most of her 23 months of life in hospital receiving treatment, before finding eternal peace in November 2013.

After months of distributing hundreds of wonderful donated gifts to children fighting cancer in eight hospitals around Australia, we decided to expand our focus. On each hospital visit it tore at our hearts that so many children were suffering prolonged and repeated hospitalisation, for serious illnesses other than just cancer. A child suffering is a child suffering, despite their illness. So we have expanded our focus to include all children suffering serious illnesses.

We are pleased to announce that WBS now has wonderful people in each state/territory helping distribute the items people donate, so your gifts will go to children in your local major hospital. Warming Beautiful Souls accepts handmade gift for babies, children and teenagers including knitted, crocheted and sewn goods. For more information and a list of local distributors visit the Facebook Page

Craft4aCause - Ayla's Rainbow Foundation

Cause - Craft4aCause
Item/s - Handmade items to be sold at markets

Craft4aCause is a group of crafters who use their skills in crafts such as sewing, knitting, crochet, spinning etc to create funky projects to be sold at markets. Craft4aCause was brought about as both a creative outlet and an opportunity to financially support Ayla's Rainbow Foundation. Ayla's Rainbow Foundation has been created to raise much needed funds to assist Ayla, who has a Neuro Migrational disorder, called Polymicrogyria. All proceeds of items sold at markets help fund Ayla's ongoing therapy costs.

Polymicrogyria is a genetic condition and creates similar symptoms to a child with Cerebral Palsy. Like all therapies for children with disabilities, the therapy is a time consuming, labour intensive and expensive. For Ayla, her therapy lasts around 3 hours every day and costs approximately $28,000 per year. Due to this ongoing cost we are seeking support to help assist us with Ayla’s treatment. For more information visit the Facebook page and website via the link below.

Pillowcases for Oncology Kids

Charity - Pillowcases for Oncology Kids
Item/s - Handmade Pillowcases

Pillowcases for Oncology Kids creates and donates pillowcases to oncology kids in hospitals around Australia. Our Vision is to provide every child undergoing treatment for cancer receives a pillowcase to brighten up their room. We want to see every child smile and with all our pillowcases being made and donated with tonnes of love it is sure to put a big smile on every child's face when they receive a pillowcase from POK.

Brittany was 6 months old when she was diagnosed with a rare GERM CELL tumour, she had treatment for 3 years and was given a 0.01% survival rate. She is now a gorgeous 15 year old who still has a long way to go, but has decided to help put a smile on someone else's face by creating the foundation.

What started out as a small pillowcase drive to collect and create handmade pillowcases for oncology kids in hospital, has now escalated to something she wishes to continue 365 days a year and donate pillowcases not only to the hospital where she was treated, but hospitals around Australia.

So, if you are able to sew, why not get your creative side happening and create a pillowcase for boys and girls, young and old who are in hospital having treatment. For more information visit the Facebook Page.