Good evening, 

Giving Day isn’t for another two weeks but we are opening the donation page now because the families on our waitlist need all the help they can get. 

Lockdown affects everyone in different ways. 

For the families needing support from Geelong Mums, their situation can be amplified when in lockdown. And there will be those needing to ask for help who haven’t before.

At our warehouse, lockdown means no volunteers but just as much to do for our very small social service and operations team.  

The number of requests for help we receive doesn’t get any smaller and neither does our waiting list. If anything, they grow. 

Can you please step in and help today? All financial donations from now until we reach our goal on Giving Day will be quadrupled by generous matched donors for our Give, Share, Care appeal.

Thankfully we will be coming out of lockdown this week but the last 12 months have been incredibly challenging for so many families. With the decrease and cessation of some government payments and the most recent lockdowns, we've seen a 59% increase in people asking for support in April and May compared to the same time last year. 

One of our social workers said recently - 

“The pandemic has had a huge impact and financial strain on families, including significant job loss & lack of opportunities to gain employment. The impact has not only been on the families but consequently as a ripple effect; extended families are unable to financially assist & provide goods”

There is usually more than one cause of disadvantage for the families asking for help. Some examples are homelessness, unemployment, asylum seekers with no access to government support, family violence.... the list goes on. Many have been severely affected by the pandemic and some never imagined they would need support 18 months ago. 

I know that you agree that every child deserves care, a safe start and a future filled with possibility. Your financial support will ensure that we can provide safe cots, prams, car seats and children's clothing to families living in the most desperate of situations. These items aren’t just a mode of transport or a nice outfit. They provide so much more - freedom, warmth, safety and opportunity. 

During the intense lockdowns last year, our essential service kept going because of you. We have no intention of stopping now and will continue to be there for all the families in need. But we need our incredible community again. 

Please donate and spread the word today so no child has to go without this winter. 

Warm regards,

Julia

Julia Roache 
General Manager
0417 032 825 
[email protected]