Victorian Bushfires-how you can help

MONEY - Because so many of these places are classified crime scenes only registered care workers, nurses, police etc are able to get in. So even though clothes etc are a good donation, they don't yet have the resources to transport them there yet. So they need money money money. Donate at any Commonwealth, Westpac, ANZ, National, Salvation Army or Red Cross. Salvos and Red Cross are credit card only, all bank branches accept cash.

MOBILE PHONE CHARGERS - people have their phones but no battery life left. There are so many types of phones so many types of chargers are required. If you have any chargers laying around from phones you no longer need, no matter how old or new, please send them to the Salvation Army

BLOOD - not just this week, but over the next few months. Blood donations have a kind of 'used by date' so while it's good to donate now, it needs to be kept up. Call the Red Cross on 131 495.

LAND - not sure many people have land on which to keep horses, but if you do happen to, call 0411 434123. I don't know who this number belongs to, sorry.

BLANKETING - to keep warm, obviously. Please take them to the Salvation Army

ANIMAL ACCOMMODATION - if you have room in your house for a dog, cat, rabbit, horse... phone 9739 0300. Some of these will belong to families in emergency care who can't take their pets with them, others belong to families who have passed away. They won't always know which category they belong to so be prepared to foster indefinitely. If you know anyone with animals that are injured by the way, see if you can get them to Lort Smith, they are treating all animals for free.
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I'm trying to organise the mobile blood bank to visit the University where I work. We're also organising some fundraisers.

If you'd like to put your craft skills to good use, The Toy Society will be collecting handmade toys over the next couple of weeks to be donated to children impacted by the fires. Many families have nothing but the clothes on their backs. Please email thetoysociety@gmail.com if you're interested.

All aboard!

You can't go to school with your period!

Imagine missing about a week of school (or work) a month because you have your period.

In many areas of the world, access to adequate menstrual supplies is difficult to come by. Many women and girls rely on rags, newspaper, camel skin or nothing at all for their menstrual needs. A lack of sanitary pads can be a big barrier to a girl’s education.

I was recently told about Good 4 Girls a non-profit organisation who seek out donors to sew or purchase new, reusable menstrual pads for donations to areas of Africa where these products are needed most, such as schools and refugee camps in Sudan and Kenya.

Providing reusable supplies not only provides a more environmentally friendly alternative for these young women (in areas of adequate water supply for washing), it reduces their dependence on outside aid organizations to continue providing for their monthly needs.

I’m currently organising a sewing-bee to make a stack of reusable pads to be donated. Can’t sew? Maybe you can cut out patterns or iron seams or something. Or perhaps you’d like to donate some fabric (cotton flannelette) and thread?

In case you have no real idea what I am talking about in regard to a cloth pad, this is one example of a cloth pad from Health Home and Happiness.

If you would like to get involved and join the sewing bee (the first one will be at Chez Cate in early September in Melbourne), feel free to send an email to me: ms.cate@gmail.com . At some stage I will design a flyer with all the relevant details.

I realise this is not about renting per se, but making your own re-usable pads would be an excellent environmental initiative.