Matthew Sims
Individuals in Melbourne’s north with pre-loved clothing are being encouraged to donate to the Coats4Kids campaign run by Big Group Hug.
Big Group Hug is a not-for-profit based in Bundoora who provides pre-loved material aid to children and families in need.
Teaming up with fellow not-for-profit organisation Off Your Back, the campaign will be aiming to collect 5000 pre-loved coats for children and adults and will be running from Monday, May 16 until Sunday, July 31.
There are three ways in which people can donate, dropping off pre-loved coats to one of the warehouses around Melbourne, organising your own coat drive or a financial donation.
Big Group Hug chief executive Bernadene Voss said it will be essential that families facing difficulties have warm coats for their children.
“We know that more than one in six Australian children are living in poverty, and over and above this statistic, there are many children without appropriate clothes for the Melbourne winter,” she said.
“We are very happy to be collaborating with Off Your Back, who have been collecting adult coats for many years and expanding this to include children.”
Off Your Back founder Toni Joel said they are “thrilled” to partner with Big Group Hug to support the Coats4Kids campaign.
“Over the past 20 years, Off Your Back has managed to collect and distribute over 150,000 coats to those in need without spending one cent,” she said.
All adult coats will be passed on to Off Your Back, while all coats for children aged two to 16 will be distributed via Big Group Hug to Victorian children in need.
