Donate things

Clothing for babies and children
We rehome the following clothing in excellent, clean condition:

• Sizes from birth 00000 to size 16 youth/teen - no hoods on any clothing up to size 1
• Pyjamas and sleepwear
• Gro-bags and sleeping bags for babies (see Sleeping below)
• Underwear and socks in new or near-new condition
• Hand knitted or crocheted clothing, beanies, booties and scarves

Please pack clothing into bags with the size and gender clearly labelled to help us sort stock as quickly as possible.  

Shoes for children
We rehome children's shoes, from baby to youth size 7 (approx up to 16 years).
Please clean/wash them before donating, we ask them to be in excellent/near new condition.

We don't rehome adult clothes, maternity clothes (including bras), uniforms, or sport specific shoes like footy boots or dance shoes.

Bassinets 
Please donate a bassinet that has a wide stable base and firm sides (at least 400mm high) made of breathable panels. (see examples of styles below).

If it has a firm (no more than 75mm high), snug fitting and clean mattress, please include it with the bassinet.

   
Cot and cot mattress

Please donate a household cot that was bought in Australia or New Zealand and is less than 10 years old. It needs to have the recommended mattress dimensions printed on the base of the cot.

All cots must be disassembled with screws, bolts and glider pins removed from the cot and placed in a plastic bag with the assembly manual. Please tape the bag to the base slats so the hardware doesn’t get lost. A traditional cot has 5 pieces (or panels): 1 base, 2 sides and 2 ends. If any of these parts or pieces are missing, please let us know. 

If it has a drop side, please ensure it works well and that is not fully plastic or with metal rods (see examples below)

If you have the mattress that matches the cot, please include it if is a firm mattress, in excellent condition with no marks, tears or stains and has a label with its dimensions (see example below).

It is crucial for baby's safety that the right size mattress is used and should match the recommended mattress dimensions printed on the base of the cot. 

Portacots

We can rehome portable or folding cots that meet the mandatory Australian Standard AS/NZS2195 for portable cots (portacot).

All four sides must be made of mesh that goes to the base of the portacot. It must also come with the original mattress, travel bag and the mechanics must be faultless.

The portacot must be as new, in excellent clean condition with no damage to the mesh.

Toddler Beds

We can rehome toddler beds from cot conversions as well as small kids beds.

If you have the mattress for the toddler bed, please include it if is a firm mattress, in excellent condition with no marks, tears or stains. 

Please disassemble the bed, place the screws, bolts and the assembly manual in a plastic bag and tape to the base so they don't get lost. If any of these parts are missing, please let us know. 

Gro-bags and sleeping bags and wraps
We rehome gro-bags or infant sleeping bags, but only those with holes for arms or sleeves, and no hoods. 
Bunny rugs and baby wraps.
We can rehome swaddles if they are donated in the original packaging or with the instructions for safe use.

Linen
We rehome linen for bassinets, cots and single beds, including:

• Mattress protectors
• Flat and fitted sheets
• Pillowcases (standard pillow size only)
• Doona covers (Single only - no doonas)
• Towels and Facewashers
• Blankets - bassinet, cot or single bed size. No weighted blankets
• Hand knits - our recommended sizing for single bed blankets is approximately 120cm x 180cm, cot blankets are 120cm x 150cm and for bassinet blankets are 100cm x 80cm. These are an essential part of our linen bundles and we need donations of blankets more than any other knitted item. If you would like to donate crochet squares that our volunteers can sew together for a blanket, please make them between 15cm and 25cm.
  

Baby carriers 

Baby carriers worn on the front of the body with the baby in an upright position. Please ensure they have working buckles and no fraying. Instructions should be included where possible. Please see below for styles we can and can't rehome.

• Be less than 8 years old by the month and year of manufacture (the date of manufacture sticker can be located on the base/side usually)

• A red sticker displaying the standard AS/NZS 1754 
• NOT have been in an accident (however minor) or come from hard rubbish

Please read our article for more information about the importance of car seats.

Prams and strollers

Please donate a pram or stroller that includes all of the following:

• Good, clean condition (no mould or rust)
• A 5-point harness 
• A fully reclining back so a baby can lie flat
• Working brakes 
• Carry basket underneath
• Sunhood

We always need pram accessories like foot muffs, snugglers, sunshades and rain covers for single and double prams and strollers. We can rehome a pram bassinet only if it is donated with the matching pram.

Examples of pram/stroller styles we do and don't rehome

Activity mats or baby gyms
Fabric activity mats and play gyms. 

  
Bouncers or rockers
We rehome bouncers and rockers, including battery operated ones, if they are less than ten years old with a three or five point safety harness. We are unable to  rehome large mains powered swings. 
 
Books for children
Suitable for children up to the age of 16 years, including unused colouring and activity books. 
 
Stationery, arts and crafts
Pencils, textas, scrap books, exercise books, rulers, erasers, unused colouring and activity books.  Art and craft items that are unused and in excellent condition. 
 
Toys, games and puzzles

We can rehome the following toys, games and puzzles:

• Toys that are smaller than 30cm in size - as the families we support do not have the space to hold large toys
• Games - please make sure they have all their parts stored together
• Puzzles - please make sure they have all their parts stored together
• Building blocks
• Knitted toys (no beans, no hard eyes/noses, no ties)
• Small, brand new soft toys (no beans, no hard eyes/noses, no batteries)
• All are in excellent, clean condition

Please ensure that none of the toys donated have batteries, as we do not rehome battery operated toys. 

Playpens

Wooden, metal and plastic playpens.

Safety gates

Please donate pressure mounted safety gates (not hardware mounted - screw into walls).

Please include adjuster screws and bolts, suction cups for mounting on the wall, any extension bolts etc in a clear plastic zip lock bag, taped to the gate.

Safety items 

We can rehome cupboard and drawer locks, power point covers, etc.

Bibs

Bibs with domes/press studs. We don't rehome bibs with ties. 

Bottles and feeding equipment

Bottles (plastic only), teats, children’s plates, bowls, cutlery, sippy cups, drink bottles and lunch boxes. 

Breast pumps

Manual breast pumps only please (not electric or with batteries). Please make sure all parts are in near new condition and clean. 

Breastfeeding pillows

Formula

We rehome unopened tins of ‘standard’ stage 1 and 2 formula with at least 3 months before the expiry date. 

We don't rehome toddler milk (12m+), prescription or specialised formula (gluten free, allergy, soy etc).

Sterilisers 

Microwave sterilisers only please (no electrical items).

Highchairs

We rehome freestanding highchairs that have a safety harness and a tray. Please ensure they are in good, clean condition (no mould, rust or cracked/brittle plastic) and if it has castors, please check the brakes work. 

Examples of highchairs we do and do not rehome:

Baby baths

Please donate baths that are clean and have a plug (if required). No bath stands or seats please. 

Change mats 

Foam or vinyl covered change mats only, clean and in excellent condition.

Change tables that fold

We rehome a change table that folds and has sides more than 10cm higher than the level of the foam mat. Preferably it also has a safety strap that does up over the baby's tummy.

Check our article for more information about change table safety.

Examples of change tables we do and do not rehome:

Maternity pads 

Unopened packs or loose if individually wrapped.

Nappies - disposable and cloth

We rehome disposable nappies in all sizes that are loose or from opened or unopened packets.

We also rehome as-new, modern, cloth nappies in all styles and sizes. Please make sure they are clean, without stains, before donating.

Nappy bags

We can rehome clean, as new nappy bags.

Nursing pads 

Unopened packs or loose if individually wrapped.

Toiletries

Toiletries for babies, children and adults that are new or unopened and with at least 3 months before expiry (if there is an expiry date). 

Some examples include nappy cream, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, tampons, sanitary pads etc. 

Toiletry bags

We rehome clean, as new toiletry bags. 

Wipes 

New or unopened packets please.