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:

Lighthouse Foundation

Charity - Lighthouse Foundation

Item/s - Knitted, Crocheted or Sewn Baby Clothing, Blankets & Toys 

Over the past 23 years, Lighthouse has supported more than 700 homeless young people to take their rightful place in the community by giving them a home, a sense of family and therapeutic care that is trauma informed, individually-tailored and proven to work. Through their Lighthouse experience, the young people heal, learn again to relate to others and rebuild their lives.

There are eleven Lighthouse homes in Melbourne and regional Victoria where young people are supported by live-in Carers as well as specialist therapeutic services including case management and psychological services. One of these home supports young mums and their bubs. Each Lighthouse Home houses four young people for 6-24 months (depending on their needs) and a Live-In (Primary) Carer. Each home is supported by a volunteer Community Committee which helps with local community fundraising and connects with the local community to help with operational and maintenance costs.

We would be very grateful to receive baby goods, such as blankets, toys, booties or beanies. We have approximately 6 babies in the home per year. We would also be very grateful to receive any gorgeous handmade goodies to be included in a silent auctions at our ongoing fundraising events. These can be address to: Fundraising and Volunteer Coordinator, 13 Adolph Street, Richmond 3121 Victoria. For more information visit our Facebook page or website