There are many organisations and charities making a positive impact in the local community that welcome a helping hand.
Find out how to get involved or help spread the word about these three inspiring acts of kindness. Volunteering is also a great way to spend the school holidays or undertake team building for your workplace.
Thread Together
This charity partners with fashion companies to recycle excess clothing that may otherwise end up in landfill. Rather than throwing away unsold stock, Thread Together collects and redistributes the clothing to vulnerable and homeless people. The donated clothes are quality checked and made available through multiple channels including online ordering, mobile wardrobes, physical stores and social service organisations. Recipients can then select what items they need and in the size and style they like, much like a retail experience, in line with the charity's ethos of treating everyone with dignity.
You can volunteer at Thread Together by signing up to sort and pack clothing in their Banksmeadow warehouse or assist with their mobile wardrobe community visits. Corporate and group volunteering is also welcome.
Find more information at
https://threadtogether.org. You can also follow Thread Together on
Facebook and
Instagram.
Volunteering at Thread Together
Tackling the enormous challenge of food insecurity, Foodbank coordinates food donations across Australia with the assistance of food suppliers, charity partners and schools. With as many as 1 out of every 6 adults and 1.2 million children in Australia experiencing hunger in 2021, Foodbank plays a key role in helping address the rising food crisis. The organisation also helps the circular economy by reducing food wastage.
You can help support Foodbank by volunteering at their Glendenning warehouse following on-the-day training. Through the experience, you will learn about the on-the-ground operation that goes behind the good work of getting food to where it's needed. You can also donate and organise a food drive. For more volunteering ideas and to read about food insecurity in Australia, visit:
www.foodbank.org.au
You can also sign up for their newsletter on their website or follow Foodbank on social media:
Facebook and
Instagram
Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA)
Volunteering for CVA is a great way to connect with nature and learn about the local ecosystem. There are approx. over 480 threatened native animals and 600 plant species in Australia, which is considered one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Any time you can give will make a big difference in protecting our rich plant and animal life.
You can easily search for opportunities to assist with projects in your state. You can participate for one day or multiple days and either online or outdoors, depending on the project. Bring along your family and friends to make it a fun day out or go solo and meet friendly new people.
The projects help with protecting wetlands and other habitats for threatened plant and animal species and reducing ocean litter for their #seatosource campaign. In NSW, you can help at the Londonderry Woodland Reserve in Penrith (normally closed to the public) and learn about the endangered Cumberland Plain Land Snail and Nodding Geebung. Regionally, you can volunteer to plant Glossy habitat for Glossy Black-Cockatoos in Duranbah, Tweed Heads.
To search for and volunteer in current projects, visit the online
CVA Volunteer Portal
