I recently heard about an amazing group of mums in St Kilda; helping Melbourne’s most vulnerable and needy families, who aptly call themselves St Kilda Mums!

St Kilda Mums was established in February 2009, born out of sheer frustration of local opportunity shops refusing to accept their donations of cots and prams and other pre-loved nursery gear.

Knowing there was very much a community need for these items, St Kilda Mums formed a voluntary network of mothers who together collect and sort donations of baby/ preschool children’s clothing, toys, books and essential nursery equipment for mums and families alike who are doing it tough.

These items are then re-distributed by Maternal and Child Health Nurses and Family Case Workers from dozens of welfare agencies to families across the city of Melbourne, Australia.

They believe that by reusing and recycling much loved babies and children’s gear, they are not only directly helping share the joy of motherhood, but at the same time saving the earth’s precious resources by not adding to landfill.

St Kilda Mums has grown to become a network of hundreds of families that respond to requests from local social workers and maternal child health nurses on behalf of families in need. St Kilda Mums is run and staffed solely by volunteers.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

There are lots of ways that you can help St Kilda Mums:

• Donate your pre-loved nursery gear, toys and clothing
• Donate your time and become a volunteer
• Donate money and buy a new mattress for a cot or a pram snuggler to keep a child warm this winter
• Donate goods-in-kind – sample stock, excess inventory, shop soiled stock

So if you live in Melbourne and have something to give (your time or goodies) please get in contact on email mums@stkildamums.org or if your little family is struggling to afford the basics, please also get in contact.

Perhaps you could set up something similar in your local community?

Another way your can help St Kilda Mums (or any other charity for that matter) is to become a social media supporter and reshare / retweet their content online.

Follow St Kilda Mums on twitter here, or become a fan on facebook here.

Have a GREAT day!