Project Update for Clubs: Small Comforts from Community - August 2026
Over the past year, the Small Comforts from Community (SCFC) project has been busier than ever. Our mission—to provide care bags and new clothing to patients in public hospital mental health units—continues to grow in impact. We currently support The Alfred (TAH), Eastern Health/Box Hill’s Upton House & St Vincent’s Melbourne & during the year have expanded to include additional mental health wards including Box Hill’s 1East, St Vincents’ Normandy House & The Alfred’s 7W & the mental health beds in the emergency department.
Normandy House is the over 65s mental health unit of St Vincents public hospital. Its ‘consumers’ (inpatients) are predominantly from the suburbs of Collingwood and Richmond. The unit has 20 beds. The stay is weeks & often months. The patients are on average 60% men and 40% women. The patients’ mental issues are from various causes including dementia, bipolar and often there are co-morbidities. The additional of clothing provides some dignity as without it they are often left in hospital PJs. The new Dignity Wardrobe is providing clothing with care, restoring dignity and supporting recovery.
The Alfred’s Ward 7W is named as an infectious diseases and palliative care ward. Most of the inpatients in for infectious diseases are homeless and have not been able to manage their hepatitis.
1East is in the Box Hill hospital and specialises in inpatients that have mental health issues as a result of drug and alcohol addiction.
This vital social impact project is a collaboration between the Rotary Clubs of Hawthorn, Brighton North, Malvern, Port Phillip, Albert Park, Williamstown & now Brighton with much valued support from Donations in Kind (DIK).
Monthly Deliveries
Each month, we deliver:
- Up to 120 care bags to The Alfred (MHU plus MHU beds in emergency and 7 W, Upton House & 1East (Box Hill), and St Vincent’s Melbourne (Fitzroy and the over 65s Normandy House).
- Additional basic clothing items—including new men’s and women’s track pants, tops, T-shirts, and underwear—to The Alfred, Upton House & Normandy House (St Vincents) and some limited support in provision of underwear to Box Hill’s MHU adolescent ward (AIPU) & TAH 7W.
This year’s highlights & milestones
- Meetings with hospital staff. We were reassured that they project is so valued and that quantities are expected to increase.
- Packing Sessions: Volunteers from Hawthorn, Port Phillip, Brighton North & Malvern pack hundreds of care bags at Notting Hill in each session. Williamstown, Hawthorn and Brighton North support operations at DIK.
- Ongoing Deliveries:
- Port Phillip: ~35 care bags to The Alfred fortnightly (plus small quantities ED & 7W)
- Hawthorn: 20 bags/month to Upton House & 1East
- Hawthorn: delivery to St Vincent’s Fitzroy bi-monthly & Normandy House monthly
➤ Estimated Annual Total: up to 1,500 care bags pa
- Clothing Repacking:
- We have run out of mixed delivery boxes for many of the clothing items so we should have some repacking sessions. Next year we may need to import some new stock as well.
- Moisturiser: After almost running out of stock of moisturisers, Pinchapoo has provided some of the needs during the year and we were also able to source hand creams via Good 360.
- Bag Production: our care bags sewing group provide a constant supply. Each bag features a small cloth logo label. They look fantastic and are made with love.
- The cards continue to be printed and donated by Kwik Copy Cheltenham
- Water Bottles: Thanks to DIK and Mitre 10, last year we sourced a multi-year supply.
While much of the clothing is donated as a result of surplus stock from corporations, we also purchase essentials like underwear in bulk to ensure consistent supply and during the coming year we expect to order more bulk clothing.
Unfortunately, we have not been the beneficiary of a donation from Migoals this year (diaries and planners), after many years of support.
Feedback from the hospital staff
Eliza, Lead Occupational Therapist: “…. we are deeply grateful for the time, care and effort that goes into the service you offer, particularly as volunteers. Your generosity brings real, tangible benefit to our patients – many of whom are facing incredibly vulnerable and challenging times. The comfort and dignity the care bags and clothing provided cannot be overstated, and we are genuinely so grateful by the positive impact you continue to have across both units”.
Rain, Psychiatric Services Officer: , St Vincents Melbourne. “ The care bags are being received well by consumers! It has been a great way to engage with folks on the ward and facilitates providing material aid in a neater more humanising way”.
From Lucy, Social Worker at Upton House: “So many of our consumers arrive at our service in less than ideal circumstances. Often they haven’t brought any spare clothes, or their clothes are not appropriate for the weather (eg just wearing a T-shirt during winter). Some people arrive on the ward without shoes or socks and many of our consumers are experiencing homelessness or extreme poverty and might only have one set of clothes. The hospital is only able to provide ‘one size fits all’ pyjamas which are very undignified. Being able to provide clean, brand new, comfortable clothing for people whilst they are receiving treatment for their mental health gives people a sense of dignity, safety and comfort. Especially as they can take the clothes with them and enjoy them once they have left hospital! We are really grateful for the clothing donations provided by Rotary, they make a huge difference to our consumers during their stay in hospital.”
Sourcing & Supplies
Finances
The project is supported by annual financial contributions from all participating Rotary Clubs. With special thanks to (by way of reminder, these grants assisted in setting up the project):
- Rotary Club of Balwyn – for their grants extending the project to St Vincent’s and provision of clothing.
- D9800 District Foundation – for past grants that helped establish the project in 2020 and subsequently to fund some purchase of basic clothing.
What’s Next
We are continuing to:
- Source product donations for care bags and clothing
- continue care bag packing sessions each 3 months or so
- Deliver clothing and care bags monthly
Packing sessions at DIK are needed for mixed packs of basic clothing to improve volunteer efficiency when filling orders for clothing from the hospitals.
Acknowledgements
A huge thank you to everyone who makes this project possible:
- Barry (Rotary Club of Malvern) – for generously providing storage space for the care bag products and packed bags
- Donations in Kind (DIK) – for warehousing storage, product supply and inward delivery of goods
- Care bag sewing volunteers – for their craftsmanship and dedication
- Product donors – including, Mitre 10, Pinchapoo, Kwik Copy Cheltenham and donations received via Good360, GIVIT & DIK.
- Our incredible volunteers – who pack, sort, repack, deliver and help source supplies. Your collective commitment enables us to pack an impressive number of bags in just two hours.
A True Team Effort
This project is a shining example of clubs’ collaboration in action. Thank you to each and every person involved!
Warm regards,
Katrina Flinn
Project Chair – Small Comforts from Community