How simple donations make a difference to people impacted by domestic and family violence

Sometimes the things needed by people recovering and healing from domestic and family violence aren't the items that you'd normally expect.

The requested items listed on our Domestic and Family Violence Appeal page are many and varied - prams, mattresses, art supplies, gardening tools, Officeworks vouchers, the list goes on. Sometimes, women's shelters' donations can seem a little obscure.

Families, single mums, kids and single dads who've been affected by domestic and family violence need all sorts of different items. The stories below explain how a diverse range of donations made a difference in the lives of people in need.

Helping Indigenous Queenslanders when they need it most

Recently we were approached to help an Indigenous single mum of nine kids in Inala in Brisbane's south. Having escaped a domestic and family violence situation, the family were making a fresh start in a new home. Infinity Community Solutions requested a washing machine and a double pram.

The washing machine would allow the family to do their big loads of washing at home rather than the local laundromat, giving them some much-needed dignity, independence and safety. The double pram would make it much easier for mum to get around safely with her youngest children.

Thanks to kind donations of cash from generous Australians, we were able to fill these requests and buy good-quality, new items for a family who needed a helping hand.

Your financial donations meant we also supported a single Indigenous dad of two living west of Cairns in Far North Queensland. After COVID-19 induced cuts to his working hours, the family was experiencing financial difficulties at the same time his youngest daughter was growing out of her car seat.

We purchased a booster seat, meaning dad could once again safely make the two-hour drive to Cairns with his daughter to access essential services and support.

QLD Engagement Officer Temiah gives some examples of ways we've been able to help Indigenous Australians impacted by domestic and family violence thanks to donations from the public

Juliette Wright, GIVIT's Founder, Director and all-round fearless leader, has been around since the very beginning, long enough to come across some pretty surprising donation requests.

Some years ago, Juliette saw a request for a boxing bag from a charity in Western Australia. Feeling like is it was quite a luxury item for a charity to be requesting, Juliette contacted her manager in WA, who assured her of the charity's value and importance in the local community.

A couple of weeks later, GIVIT received a thank you message from the recipient of the boxing bag via the requesting charity. She was a single mum experiencing physical abuse from her young kids, and since she'd received the boxing bag for her children to use, they hadn't hit her once.

Our Founder and Director Juliette talking about one of her most memorable donations in GIVIT's history.

We recently received requests for grocery vouchers from Pilbara Community Legal Service. They were supporting a single First Nations mother and her young child, who were sleeping rough in their car after becoming homeless due to domestic and family violence. Thanks to financial donations, we were able to fill that request, and the mum was able to buy meals for her daughter and herself as they got back on their feet.

We were also able to donate two bikes to an Aboriginal family in Perth. Due to the family not owning a car, the children were walking 5 kilometres to school each day, and as a result were missing school regularly. Not anymore!

WA Engagement Officer Sarah talks about how financial donations have meant we've been able to purchase exactly what's needed for people doing it tough in WA.

Brave people need giving hearts

When people are facing extreme hardship, they need a combination of everyday and specific items that people would ordinarily take for granted. This is especially true in domestic and family violence situations where families are leaving their homes in a hurry, often without any opportunity to pack their belongings, and in the knowledge that they won't come back.

These brave people need your help as they heal, recover, and start again. You can help by donating items, money, or time to our Domestic and Family Violence Appeal.

Domestic and Family Violence