Would you like to help Australia’s most vulnerable children?  If so, read on…

My heart sank as I heard about a little boy, the same age as my little boy, who was put into foster care with only the clothes on his back – no toothbrush, no favourite teddy, no pyjamas.  This made me feel so sad and I wondered what I could possibly do, even if it were in some small way.

Having somehow honed a skill of “collecting things” I got together with pal Leisa Gill from Pandemonium Café, the talented design team from Jam Advertising  and the ever generous Beth from Butter PR and we set about trying to collect as many pairs of Pyjamas for foster kids as we could.  And so our first Pyjama Drive was born…

As the saying goes “ask and you shall receive”. We simply asked for donations of brand new pyjamas for foster kids in Australia.

Incredibly, over following weeks, literally thousands of pairs of pyjamas poured in. Jim-jams of all sizes were mailed in from all over Australia, even from overseas.  We gave up counting after over 4500 pairs.  All of these were pyjamas were then donated to the bewildered, but very grateful, staff at The Pyjama Foundation. 

The Pyjama Foundation, founded by Bronwyn Sheehan in 2004, was established to help improve literacy levels of children in foster care.  They do this by training volunteers (aka Pyjama Angels) to read regularly to children in care.  Bronwyn is a firm believer that reading is one of the best ways to develop language, literacy and learning skills.

The Pyjama Foundation are now in the middle of their third annual “Pyjama Drive” in attempt to raise these same children with one pair of brand new pyjamas, and they need YOUR help.  Last year they raised over 7,000 pairs, and this year they are hoping to collect 10,000 pairs!

Bronwyn Sheehan (who won 2009 Queensland Australian of the Year) said “The Pyjama Drive isn’t our main activity but it is a little something extra that we can do for our foster families.  Some children come into care with nothing and pyjamas are such an everyday occurrence for so many of us, but for these children in can make a real difference. “

The Pyjama Foundation are seeking brand new pyjamas only, girl or boy, from baby to adults sizes and you can drop off your collected pyjamas to a number of collection points – for details go to:

Web www.thepyjamafoundation.com 
Email pjdrive@thepyjamafoundation.com
Phone (07) 3262 5569

Pyjamas HQ, Brisbane
Level 1, 7 Hudson Road
(Cnr Bimbil Street)
Albion QLD 4010

Postal Address
PO Box 32,
Lutwyche QLD 4030

So go out and buy a pair of pyjamas today! Coles and Woolies even stock cute and cheap pyjamas.  Get them to The Pyjama Foundation and know that you have done a beautiful thing and helped a foster child in Australia feel loved.