As we pass the midway point of the coldest months of the year, I want take a moment to reflect on 300 Blankets first year in operation.

The 300 Blankets volunteer initiative begun at the start of the year as we reflected on what mattered most to us, what we wanted to do for ourselves and what we can do for the world around us. We agreed that it is easy for one to say, “I want to do this, this, this, this and this” but to actually get up and do it is a completely different ball game.

Personally, I’ve been saying that I want to do volunteer work for as long as I can remember but quite honestly had not done as much as I would have liked. Over coffee, we discussed our love for Melbourne, and we talked about the homelessness and what we could do. We marked down goals and set dates on what we would like to achieve.

Since that fateful afternoon, 300 Blankets has held two fundraising events. The 300 Blankets team have volunteered in various community activities to help support the homeless. We have met amazing people who do incredible selfless things. We have been featured in the MX and Melbourne Weekly. We have been recognised and selected as a finalist in the Myer Support Office Inspirational Peoples Awards for Community Passion. But what matters most is that with the support of generous like-minded supporters of our initiative, we have been able to raise over 1800 blankets for the homeless this winter.

Our blankets are being distributed throughout Melbourne and Victoria. A story has come back to us about a homeless gentleman living in a garage in Moe. He had been living alone in the cold without even a blanket to keep him warm. This is exactly what we set out to achieve.

Over the year, we have experienced so many life changing moments. It is amazing what the “spend less time thinking and more time doing” mentality can do. Seeing what we can do, and the impact we would like to have on our community, we are going to keep building 300 Blankets. The road is long but we are proud to have started the journey. We hope that our achievements this year will inspire others to do the same. We live in a world of endless opportunities with the only thing holding us back is ourselves. Please contact us if you or your organisation would like to support and help 300 Blankets grow. Together we can keep our community warm.