St Kilda Mums is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit organisation that collects, sorts and redistributes essential nursery equipment, clothing, books and toys to families in need. Their work saves the earth’s precious resources by joining with support agencies throughout Melbourne to pass on used material goods from families with young children, giving items a new life and disadvantaged families much-needed material assistance.

Jess says there are many reasons she and her colleagues started the organisation back in 2009. “One of the reasons was we had young children, and we bought really good quality baby gear, and we know longer needed it. We wanted to see that it went to somebody who really did need it.”

Over the course of the organisation’s 13-year journey, the volunteer opportunities have expanded. Today, Jess also enjoys volunteering as a Tinker Fairy. “I repair prams, replace punctures, do a lot of cleaning, and generally check things are safe to be passed on.”

While people can get involved by donating their used goods to the St Kilda Mums facility for re-distribution, the organisation relies on a wonderful group of volunteers to process the items and ensure they’re fit for use for the next family to receive them. Most of the volunteers are mums themselves who all find it easy to offer their time, when they’re encouraged to come along with kids in tow.

Jess says the most rewarding part of this journey are the friendships and spending time with the other volunteers. With immense organisational success and growth, Jess has found a purposeful and meaningful way to contribute and use her time. As she puts it, “I guess I’m just using up time I’d otherwise use watching TV”.

Helping others is easier than you think. Find St Kilda Mums volunteer opportunities and similar roles at SEEK Volunteer.