When Bernie Harfleet and Donna Turtle Sarten started Give a Kid a Blanket as a winter initiative in 2015, they could not have predicted the outpouring of community support they would receive.
Now, over 10 years on, the charity helps thousands of local families every year thanks to the support of friends, family, donors, volunteers and the wider community and with a renewed Sponsorship they have their rent paid by The Trusts for another three years.
For the first few years of Give a Kid a Blanket, Bernie and Turtle ran the operation out of their home, then a couple of industrial buildings, but they quickly outgrew those spaces. So, in 2019, The Trusts stepped in with a solution, offering up their empty office space at Railside Ave.
“We had these 12 office spaces to use for storage and we filled every nook and cranny with donated bedding and blankets. There were two flights of stairs and it was hard yakka going up and down all day but having that space really empowered us to run the charity year round. ” explains Bernie.
With more space, Give a Kid a Blanket expanded, providing those in need with bedding, clothing, toiletries, cleaning supplies, toys, and food. But, after a few years it was clear that they had outgrown the space once again and The Trusts started looking for a bigger and better space.
“Our new space in Central Park Drive was a real step up. We gained an extra 100 square metres and it’s on the ground floor, so no more stairs! We’re close to the people we look after and the organisations we partner with.
“And best of all, The Trusts gifted us a three year lease which has just been renewed for another three years, so we can stay where we are and keep doing what we’re doing,” says Bernie.
“We’re really grateful to be part of a community that helps each other out, from our volunteers and donors, to the organisations we partner with. It’s community kindness in action and The Trusts are a big part of that community,” adds Bernie.
Heading into their 12th winter, Give a Kid a Blanket needs donations more than ever.
Bernie’s final message, “No donation is too small or too big. Every dollar and every item counts so if you can, please donate.”
