Mummies Paying it Forward is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit organisation founded in 2014, based in Rozelle. They provide everyday essentials to families experiencing significant and immediate hardship.
Founder Fatma Elzein says she set up the charity to channel her energy into helping others and as a way to cope with loss. She said, “Defining moments to me are times where you stop and think about how you can contribute to improving a situation”. Seeing another mum trying to make a difference led Rozelle resident Marie Norman to offer her skills and join Fatma in running the charity, growing it into the strong community it is today.
The organisation operates due to the generosity of a small team of dedicated, locally based volunteers, including parents from the community and students from Sydney Secondary College. They sort and distribute donations of new and preloved everyday essentials to families right across NSW. These donations help address the impact of poverty, homelessness, domestic violence, asylum, neglect and significant hardship (such as flooding or bushfires).
Marie says, “Mummies Paying it Forward accepts referrals for support from social workers at registered charitable organisations who have clients in need of material aid. We can receive up to 50 requests for help in a month.” Balmain resident Laurie Bissaker works tirelessly at Mummies’ warehouse to ensure requests are turned around and items make it to the families in need within seven days.
Mummies have launched its annual Children’s Gift Drive. Marie says, “It’s that time when we help families by providing gifts during the holiday season. We are the lucky ones. My children are born into privilege and will hopefully never want for anything. We run Mummies to show them that by lots of people doing small things, you can make a huge difference. We do it for the babies born into circumstances that aren’t ideal, to the small children that maybe don’t have a change of clothes for tomorrow, and to the women who are forced to leave their homes.”
How you can get involved:
• Donate new and quality goods to Storage King Rozelle.
• Make a monetary donation to keep Mummies Paying it Forward operating.
• Volunteer with clothes sorting, held every Wednesday and Friday 9.30am-12:00pm. Just show up!
• Help make up kids clothing, linen and feeding packs.
• Pram checking, to make sure they are in good working order.
• Delivery driving, to drop requests at hospitals and partner organisations.
By Marc Bennie
