The beginning
Dandelion Support Network has a life of it's own. We may have created it and we are currently stewarding it, but it belongs to something much bigger than us.
In December 2011 we contacted the social workers at our local hospitals asking to meet them for a 'proof of concept' type meeting. Our meeting was scheduled for January 2012. We did eventually have that meeting - on the occasion that we delivered our 3rd
package of baby goods to the hospital!
You see Dandelion is only 4 months old. In our planning documents we had expected to launch around now. But our launch was expedited when we got a phone call 2 days before Christmas asking us if we could help a young family. They were leaving the
hospital on Christmas eve with nothing. They had a few jumpsuits and that was all. Upon hearing the news we paid the insurance we needed in order to operate out of our personal savings instead of waiting to fundraise for it. We had to, that family needed a
Christmas Miracle and that miracle was us.
Our founders (and baby Hugo) on the first delivery.
Little did we know that day that we had opened a flood gate. A flood gate of generosity, community spirit and compassion.
The why
Since our first delivery we have helped more families all facing difficult situations. Some of the issues our recipients face include:
Domestic Violence - Substance Abuse - Teen Parents - Social Isolation - Long Term Unemployment - Homelessness - Serious Illness - Mental Illness - Post Natal Depression.
The package sent out to a homeless father & his 6 wk old infant.
The insanity of it all is that the items that make such a difference in our communities were once destined for hard rubbish and landfill! It is a win-win-win situation:
1.Our donors get to pass on their baby items and reclaim their home from the cultter of baby gear.
2. Our recipients have access to safe, high-quality items that they may not have been able to obtain and are reminded that the community values them
3. The lifespan of the items is lengthened and we reduce the environmental impact of raising a family and reduce local landfill
This equipment & toys rescued from hard rubbish clean-up. Now safely in the hands of needy children.
Your role
We feel so blessed to de doing the work we do. Every week we get to prepare little packages of love, to go to the needy neighbours in our community. There is nothing more fulfilling than knowing a parent can rest easier knowing their tiny babe will be warm
and safe.
But nothing runs on love alone. Costs are incurred in processing donations, storing and delivering them. We are relying on the community to support our work. We are relying on you.
Without your contribution we cannot deliver clothes, shoes & cots to babies in desperate situations.
Please, donate now.
The Community Response
We know Dandelion works because it has been a roaring success over the past 4 months.
We aren't asking you to believe us, here is what our social workers have to say:
“Thank you so much for the support your organisation is providing to our clients in need. It really makes a difference.”
"This beautiful cot (bassinet) will be used for viewings for parents and families who have suffered the loss of a stillborn baby – having such a gorgeous cot to present these babies [in] will definitely make a big difference to our practice and to their
healing."
"[my client] was so excited, it was very rewarding being able to provide some of that much needed practical assistance to relieve some financial strain. Wouldn’t have been able to do it without your support. So thank you.”
And this is what our donors say:
"Dear Amazing and Wonderful people at Dandelion Support, I would like to commend you on a beautiful job you are doing, I am sure there are some appreciative parents out there."
"You're such amazing women... I'm so inspired by your big hearts."
"I have been following your work, and I am really excited to offer some help."
Dandelion is an amazing thing to be a part of. It humbles and inspires us every day. We would love for you to be a part of it too.
We need your help to help families to help families.
Please, donate today!
