Hi

What a really tough week this has been. We have been feeling it here at Geelong Mums and I'm sure you have too.

I heard an emergency nurse sobbing down the phone on a radio station yesterday. She called in to say she’s terrified about making her family sick. She begged people to stay at home if they can. 
 
And it left me with no doubt that we have done the right thing by pausing our volunteer program for the moment and asking the community to hold onto their baby and children’s gear right now. It’s critical we keep the number of people who visit our warehouse to an absolute minimum, and that we have complete control of the items that come through our doors. 
 
So, now we’re committed to fulfilling all the outstanding orders from social workers and maternal health nurses with just our few staff, and they’re feeling the strain. They’re still smiling, but there are tears too. 
 
It’s critical that we keep delivering our service to families in need. Because if we don’t, who will? 

We’re desperately worried that tighter government restrictions, so necessary to keep us safe, may cripple our ability to keep going. 
 
But we have to think positively and be focused on today. 
 
What can we do today to help families in need while we’re still able to deliver our service? 
 
And here's the good news story. You can do something to help today.  
 
You can make a financial donation, big or small, to ensure we can continue to provide essential support to families now and well beyond this global crisis. 

Across our three branches in Geelong, Clayton and Ballarat this week, we supported 519 babies and children. That’s 229 families. We had 125 social workers pick up essential items for them such as nappies, prams and car seats. 

We’re encouraging social workers to stay in their cars while we pack and tick off their order via the boot. It’s a strange, disconnected way to interact with the social workers and maternal child health nurses we so love to speak to, but if it means we can continue to help families, then that’s what we’ll do. 

We’ve received requests from welfare agencies that we’ve never connected with before. Desperately asking for nappies, wipes, toiletries, as well as the ‘big ticket’ items - cots, prams, car seats. These amazing people are scrambling to pull together what struggling families need and it will only get worse as more people lose their jobs. 

It’s been 7 years since we started Geelong Mums. And I’ve never been more scared about our future.

I read an article yesterday that left me cold. This was the headline: COVID-19 shutdown sees 30 per cent increase in domestic violence calls. 
 
You don't have to think for too long to realise that a nation in self-isolation means more family violence, along with a whole host of terrifying issues our community’s most vulnerable families will face.
 
Had you asked me six months ago if I thought life could get any harder for the families you help through Geelong Mums, I would have told you it would be hard to imagine. Then the bushfires happened and now this. 

Please will you donate to our emergency appeal today so we can ensure Geelong Mums still exists at the end of this crisis?

We're using every grain of our community’s support, goodwill, money and kind words to help get us through and support families whose lives are falling apart. 

We know you are on the same page when we say that every child deserves to be happy, healthy and safe. That will never change, no matter what’s happening in the world. 

Thank you for being such a wonderful supporter. Please take good care.

Warm regards

Julia 

Julia Roache 
General Manager
0417 032 825 
[email protected]

PS. The easiest way is to donate securely online with Visa, Mastercard, Amex or Paypal. 

EFT is also an option if you wish to avoid fees. Our details are - Geelong Mums Westpac BSB 033344 Acc 281388. Please use your first and last name as a reference. 

Or you can also post a cheque to Geelong Mums, PO Box 8203, Newtown VIC 3220. Please include your name, email and/or address so that we can send you a tax-deductible receipt by return mail or email. Thank you!