Aussie Hero Quilts and Laundry Bags

Charity - Aussie Hero Quilts
Items - Quilts and Laundry Bags
Links - Facebook | Website

Aussie Hero Quilts (and Laundry Bags) is designed to encourage sewers to make quilts and laundry bags for our Aussie Servicemen and Women currently serving Overseas. We care about the person, not the politics or the mission.

Quilts If you can only make one quilt that could be the quilt that turns up somewhere when someone really needs a boost. If you are able to make complete quilts from start to finish, or if you can take a quilt top and turn it into a quilt - we need you. If you can take a set of blocks and put them together with some of your own stash to produce a quilt, we need you. For quilt specification please click HERE

Laundry Bags Our laundry bag production has taken a hit recently, two of our regular sewers are currently not able to sew for family and health reasons and that means we need you. Laundry bags are easy to make -if you have been thinking about getting involved with AHQ but don't want to quilt - then make a laundry bag, choose some bright colours from your stash and go for it. For Laundry Bag specifications please click HERE

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.

WIRES

Charity - WIRES
Item/s - Joey, Macropod & Possom Pouches
Links - Facebook | Website

Every day WIRES volunteers are taking orphaned young marsupials into care. These young animals need a safe and warm environment that is as similar as possible to their mothers pouch where they would normally be if they were not in care. Each joey in care therefore needs a pouch.

There are two kinds of pouches, one inner liner of cotton and an outer pouch made of wool. The inner liner is changed frequently often after each feed which can mean up to 6 pouches being needed or just one joey every 24 hours. Many WIRES carers have multiple joeys in care at any given time and the number of pouches used each day can climb very quickly. On average a carer will often have 20-30 pouches in the wash at any given time. The size of the pouches needed, changes depending on both the age of the joey and the species. In all cases the regular washing required means the life span of each pouch is limited and the need for pouches is ongoing.

You can help, the sewing and knitting required is fairly basic and there is a factsheet available to explain sizes and material requirements. The main requirement is the inner linings must be 100% cotton and the outer knitted pouches must be pure wool. Synthetic materials do not breathe and are not appropriate. Completed pouches are always gratefully received at our Forestville office which is at 9 Cook Street, Forestville. Alternatively you can call 02 8977 3333 to find your nearest branch.

See a clip featured on Sunrise about how the pouches are used by our volunteers

If you would like to help please take a look at the factsheet on making possum pouches or macropod pouches and help us care for our wildlife. For more information visit our Facebook page and website.

Lou's Place

Charity - Lou's Place (Kings Cross, NSW)
Item/s - Knitted or Crocheted Blankets & Gifts
Links - Facebook | Website

Lou’s Place is a daytime refuge for women in the heart of Kings Cross. Our mission is to provide a safe and welcoming place for women, meeting them at their point of need and supporting them in rebuilding their lives.

Many of the women who come to Lou’s Place are in crisis. Approximately 70% are homeless, most experience mental and/or physical health issues, and nearly all are survivors of neglect and abuse – physical, emotional, sexual, and frequently, substance abuse. Lou’s is a drop-in centre where they can find a safe place to begin restoring their security, stability and self respect. We provide safety on many different levels – from isolation and loneliness, hunger and cold, ill health, the dangers of the street or even the dangers within their own homes.

We have received beautiful patchwork knitted rugs before from knitting groups and we have almost run out so we would love to receive some more. We celebrate our clients' birthdays and sometimes our present is the only gift they receive on their birthday so any handmade gift ideas would be gratefully accepted. For more information please visit our Facebook page and website.

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.

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  

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