Care centre seeking household items

A CHARITY that donates household goods to those in need is set for a busy May.

Community Care Centre Ballarat is on the lookout for particular items while hosting garage sales to offer goods that others could utilise.

Shona Johanson, the centre’s warehouse and volunteer coordinator, said they were requiring good quality mattresses not torn or stained, whitegoods and household items such as pillow protectors and crockery.

“We support individuals and families throughout the Ballarat region when they’re in a bit of a crisis,” she said.

“So for people that are living rough that get a property and they’ve got no furniture, the welfare agency will contact us and they will provide us with an order form on what they need and then we’ll produce what they need.”

Johanson said supporting families affected by the bushfires across Victoria in January still remained a priority for the centre.

“A lot of people are still in transitional housing and they either haven’t moved back to their properties yet or built their properties,” she said.

“Everyone needs a fridge and a washing machine and a bed.

“So those general household items that you need to kind of live comfortably, but also we have a few items that we like to just kind of giveaway, which is like some cushions and artwork and things like that to make it a home.”

Johanson said people could donate money or these items at communitycarecentreballarat.org.au or phoning 0491 271 129.

Meanwhile, the centre is set to host garage sales, beginning with one on Saturday 16 May, followed by 23 and 30 May.

All of the garage sales will run from 8.30am to 1.30pm at 613 Otway Street South, Canadian.

Johanson said the sales spread awareness about the centre and help them offload items they do not utilise.

“These are things like pot plants to pots, garden items to teacups and items that aren’t specifically for us that we get through deceased estates and all that,” she said.

“Those items are kind of like a specific requirement, like people have a certain desire to obtain those items, and so that’s a good way of us to, to not put it into waste, but to utilise it to put money back into the program.”

Community Bank Buninyong provides support to the organisation. Their community partnerships lead Kelly Bevan recently visited the centre to see the work firsthand.

She said the centre’s practical work matters.