Dear Friend

Welcome to the term 4 edition of 'Schools News'.

Congratulations on another fantastic term!  Term 3 is always a hard one to get through with winter ills still lingering, looming SACs and exams… however Term 4 with its warm sunshine and end of year festivities are not far away!

What's coming up?

There are lots of things your school can get involved with: 

Term 4

• Childrens Week Fundraiser (21-29 October) - We are encouraging schools, staff rooms and workplaces to run a fundraising morning or afternoon tea for Big Group Hug during Children’s Week with the theme of ‘Kids Party Food’. What’s your favourite kids party food? Mine are honey joys! Register your interest in running a morning tea below.
• ‘A Clean & Comfy Christmas’ Festive Season goods drive (November) - collect for kids in need to brighten their Christmas. Register your interest in running a festive drive below.

Feeling organised? Planning for 2024? We've got you covered!

• Term 1: PJs, Jocks & Socks is a goods drive for brand new items in February, and Double Donation Day is our big fundraiser in March. 
• Term 2: Winter Warmers (May/June)
• Term 3: Children's Week (October) … host a fundraiser or donation drive during this week.

Also, year-round goods drives - collect toiletries or pre-loved items at a time that suits you! We can provide resources like flyers and posters.

Our 2022/2023 Reach

In the 2022/2023 Financial Year:

• We had 3,378 requests of material aid from families - a 41% increase in requests for aid from the previous financial year
• Provided over 1,139 tins of formula - a value of approximately $40,000
• Provided over 92,000 nappies to babies in need - a value of approximately $37,000

Term 3 Highlights

It is so awesome to see young people having the opportunity to do things for their community.  Thank you for introducing your students to all things Big Group Hug.

• Parade College students joined us on Moving Day and were a great help with moving boxes and shelving. More students joined us during the term to assist with setting up our new warehouse.
• Scotch College Junior School ran a very successful coats drive.
• Alphington Primary School collected so many toiletries and nappies for us.
• Fintona Girls’ School Year 9 students ran some amazing initiatives this term on our behalf, fundraising and donation drives.
• Nido Early Leaning School Airport West ran a donation drive, and then 2 children from each room visited our Airport West warehouse to drop in the donations and find our more about BGH
• Laurimar Primary School donated the profits from their Grade 6 Friday Afternoon Market Stall
• Goodstart Rosanna Bellevue Avenue ran a winter clothes donation drive. Small world... this new centre is on the site of the Big Group Hug's second home, the Uniting Church Hall in Rosanna.  

Thank you to everyone for your support! 

How your school community can help even more children in need!

In 2020/2021 we helped 3,769 children, in 2021/2022 we help 4,271 children, in 2022/2023 we helped 6,002 children!

Thanks to the generosity & support from your school we have been able to do some incredible work. The need increases year on year, and we need help to propel us to where we need to be - to have a bigger impact.

You and your school community can help us with our mission! We're looking for sponsors, partners and people who may be able to help us source items children in our community desperately need.  We would love to introduce ourselves to your wider community, chat with them about what we do and how they can help.

Could you invite us along to speak at a Parents or Alumni event, or set up a stall at your Information Night for prospective parents? Can we add an article to your Alumni Newsletter or School Yearbook?

Please let me know if you can help with any of the above or would like to find out more about how we can work together to help even more children. 

Thanks again for your support, 

Feona Wadsworth
Relationship Development Coordinator
e: schools@biggrouphug.org
m: 0492 933 247
w: biggrouphug.org