When the pandemic hit, so did the demand for baby and children's goods from local charity Geelong Mums.
Good supplies of items and posted donations allowed the charity - whose mission is to re-home pre-loved nursery goods to support families in need while saving the earth's precious resources - to meet demand.
Demand remains high with around 1,000 items, from cots and prams to clothing and linen, provided to 150-plus local families during June alone.
Normally supported by an army of 1,000 volunteers – or up to 30 on any given day – due to capacity limits, only 12 are currently allowed on site.
Now only pre-arranged donations are accepted at set times, and donated items need to be quarantined for 72 hours before staff can process them.
Cots, prams, car seats, clothing for 8-14 year-olds (particularly for boys), and toiletries for adults, children and babies are currently needed. Second-hand items need to be good quality and freshly washed or cleaned.
Geelong Mums also has a 'shop and drop' collection tub at Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre (near Target) where you can drop off newly purchased items, such as toiletries, kids clothing, bedding and blankets, nappies and wipes.
