As Browncoats, we love to help those around us, in our local community and internationally. For us, we do this by organising charity events with auctions and raffles, running our Browncoat Booth at conventions where sales proceeds benefit charity, and hosting fundraising auctions. We support a number of local and international charities.
The charities we are currently supporting are:
FareShare: Rescue, Cook, Feed. Operating from Melbourne and Brisbane, FareShare seeks to fight hunger and give vulnerable people dignity with cooked, nutritious meals. They source surplus and not-quite-right food from supermarkets, farmers and markets that would otherwise go to waste, as well as from their own community gardens. FareShare’s meals are distributed free to people experiencing food poverty and unable to afford nutritious food. In Victoria our meals are handed out by more than 400 charities including soup vans, homeless shelters, women’s refuges, schools serving disadvantaged communities, and RSLs. Meals cooked in our Brisbane kitchen are distributed by Foodbank to its existing network of frontline charities supporting people doing it tough.
Find out more at FareShare.org.au
Fitted For Work: Since 2005, Fitted for Work has transformed the lives of over 10,000 women. As a not-for-profit organisation, their mission is to help women experiencing disadvantage get work and keep it. They do this by providing free business clothing at their personal outfitting service and through their range of interview training, mentoring and transition to work programs.
Find out more at FittedForWork.org
Women’s Information & Referral Exchange (WIRE): WIRE are the only Victoria-wide free generalist information, support and referral service run by women for women. They offer a range of gender-specific training programs, and also research and advocate for women’s issues such as financial literacy and economic security,work-life balance and violence against women. WIRE offers you a safe place to share your experience, and to get practical and emotional support on any issue. No matter what the problem is, WIRE are there to listen and support you, and to provide information on services and practitioners that you can connect to.
Find out more at wire.org.au
Mums Supporting Families in Need (MSFIN): MSFIN is a fully volunteer run Mornington Peninsula-based charity providing quality material aid to struggling Victorian families in partnership with community support and welfare organisations. They believe no child should go without essentials. Mums Supporting Families in Need provides quality second hand material aid such as Cots, Bassinettes, Carseats and Prams for Babies; Clothing, Shoes, Linen and New Toiletries for all ages as well as Toys, Books, New Nappies & Wipes and other baby essentials to families in circumstantial crisis. Mums Supporting Families In Need now services over 60 agencies from their Seaford warehouse.
Find out more at msfin.org.au
The Smith Family: The Smith Family gives disadvantaged children the motivation, encouragement and essentials they need to stay in school and create a better future. More than 638,000 Australian children live in jobless families without the right support and opportunities to fully participate in their education. The Smith Family’s learning support and mentoring programs in 94 Australian communities directly helps children in need achieve their goals through education.
Find out more at TheSmithFamily.com.au
For more information about our charity efforts:
Can’t Stop the Serenity Events
Browncoat Booth & Online Store
DONATIONS TO CHARITY – As New Melbourne Browncoats Inc: $99,289.73 [Updated 10 July 2022]
Equality Now – $35,664.29
FareShare – $21,000.00
Fitted for Work – $23,000.00
Autism Victoria – $6,000.00
Women’s Information & Referral Exchange (WIRE) – $3,201.17
Red Cross Australia – $3,070.00
The Smith Family – $5,071.00 (Annual Student Sponsor since July 2014)
Mothers Supporting Families in Need (MSFIN) – $1,250.00
Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center – $998.27
Essentials 4 Women SA – $35.00
DONATIONS TO CHARITY – As “Melbourne Browncoats” (pre Incorporation):
Equality Now – $14,000.00 (approx)
Country Fire Authority – $1,000.00
Motor Neurone Disease Association of Victoria – $500.00
Kids Need to Read Foundation – $280.00 (US$240.00)
GUFF (Fan Fund) – $100.00