Online charity database GIVIT is still looking for donations of essential items such as sinks and vacuum cleaners to help flood-affected families in the local region.
The desperate days of the 2011 Brisbane and Ipswich floods spurred the exponential growth of GIVIT. Over a decade later, it continues to make a difference in the community.
GIVIT partners with governments to help manage natural disaster recovery and relief, including this year’s February floods, and connects with community support organisations to assist in the most personal of crises, like fleeing domestic violence or being able to afford essential clothing.
Visitors to the website can browse an exhaustive database of needed goods, services, and vouchers, that are all listed by community organisations that GIVIT individually vets as genuine.
The listings can be searched with keywords and filtered by category, appeal or cause, location, and delivery options.
Current requests made by organisations based in the Greater Springfield area (at time of print) include:
- A kitchen sink, stove/oven, vacuum cleaner, and electrical services – for a flood-affected single mother with a young child;
- A kitchen sink, laundry sink, vacuum cleaner, and electrical services – for a flood-affected family of three.
Delivery options for these appliances and fixtures include either direct courier, or drop-off at (or emailing a voucher to) the organisation.
Thousands of items, including shopping vouchers, are currently in demand by organisations based further away.
Ipswich Assist, a registered charity and outreach ministry of Central Church, said it is incredibly grateful for GIVIT’s service.
“Your platform allows us to navigate thousands – really, thousands – of donation offers with ease, and connects us with compassionate members of the public who are so willing to help others,” a spokesperson for the organisation said.
Those with items or personal services to give away not currently listed or available for delivery can pledge them by providing details along with photographs. GIVIT advises that donors wait at least two weeks after posting a pledge so that support organisations have time to see and find a suitable match for the items.
Vulnerable individuals can contact community organisations through the GIVIT website so that claims of true need are duly assessed and expeditiously addressed.
Givit launched in 2009, when founder Juliette Wright wanted to donate baby clothes, but had been told the same story by multiple charity organisations: that they were really seeking critical items like women’s sanitary products or steel-capped boots for unemployed workers.
Since then, it has become nationally recognised, and is a frequent partner with state and federal governments to manage disasters. In 2019, for her charitable service to the community, Juliette Wright was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) by the Governor of Queensland.
You can donate or request items by visiting www.givit.org.au. If you are without internet access, please contact your local support organisation, or contact Lifeline, 24/7, on 13 11 14.
