Do you have any great ideas for how we can help our local community?

[mumski]

Hi:wave:
Do you have ideas for community projects to help mothers or young children?

We have a non profit organisation based in North Queensland and will soon be finalising our first major community project, a fully fenced, shaded, soft fall floored junior playground for a popular local park in town.

We also recently held a Girls Night Out to acknowledge busy Mums and their need to look after themselves. We've also opened a young parents playgroup, and published a book of children's writing and artwork.

We're holding a photography workshop for Mums later on this year too but we still have room for another project or two and are throwing around some ideas at the moment.

My sister has suggested care packs for the local women's shelter. And I've always wanted to do 'books for bubs' and give a book to every new baby born at our local hospital to encourage literacy from an early age.

Can you come up with some other things we could think about doing? They can be big or small projects, the more we have to choose from the better!

Thanks in advance:thumbsup:

[woven_wings]

Go you wonderful thing you! :D :yelclap:

What I have done that has worked before:

* Baby Blessing Packs for young/teen mothers birthing at local hospitals - I asked for donations from companies and then made up packs. We had about 30 packs in the end, all worth around $200... and I was only about $80 out of pocket myself. They contained clothing, shoes, bibs, blankets, samples, baby products, teddies, pamper products for the mum and a congratulations card.

* Books for Babies - asked for donations and contacted buisnesses... we then donated to local hospitals... and stuck a message in the front of each book explaining the importance of reading to your baby and that they (as a new family) were loved.

* Pamper Nights (which it sounds like youve been having) - local hairdressers, massuers, makeup artists, cooks, etc have come together and the women were pampered and given beauty tips too.

* Family Support - Weve identified (you can contact your local council or church) struggling familes in the community and given them food parcels, clothing parcels, toys for the kids, helped to paint their houses (for free), do gardening, cleaning, etc.

* Blanket & Jumper Drive - to collect especially during winter for homeless shelter - I organised one of these when I was back in high school... it worked a treat, we needed a trailor to transport the things!

Some other ideas might be:

* Supporting new refugee families in the area/community - having friendship days, playgroups and home play dates and visits.

* Supporting the local womens homeless shelter (friends of mine did exactly what your sister is suggesting - worked fab!). With toiletries packs, blankets, jumpers, etc.


Deffinately keep us updated! And stick at it - you are doing wonderful things! :smiliedance:

[mumski]

Thanks Woven Wings what wonderful suggestions!! Heaps there to think about!:yelclap:

[bipster]

For our next project we've decided to focus on improving parenting facilities, including installing change tables and sinks, somewhere to heat bottles and privacy for breastfeeding.

It's a great way to help all the mums in our community and something we really need.