01/11/2026
💜 Tots2Teens – 11 Years of Community Generosity, and Just Two Hiccups! 💜
Something that may have been lost in my recent post, “The Story Behind Tots2Teens – The Journey Nobody Saw,” is just how extraordinary our local community has been.
For 11 years, Tots2Teens Albury Wodonga has been a grassroots charity, built by the community, supported by the community, and serving the community.
And here is something I am incredibly proud to say.
In all those years, I have NEVER had to turn away an eligible referral because we didn’t have the items needed to support them. 💜
Think about that for a moment.
Eleven years of supporting children entering foster and kinship care, families escaping domestic violence, vulnerable young people and families experiencing crisis.
And every single time we have needed something, our community has stepped up.
Sometimes before we even had to ask!
Our incredible supporters have included:
💜 Schools: Xavier, Trinity Anglican College and Lavington East Public School.
💜 Craft and sewing groups: Murray River Quilters, Quilters Connect and the many talented individuals who lovingly create beautiful handmade items.
💜 Childcare centres: Moorefield Park, Kiewa Kids and Kinfolk.
💜 Community groups and organisations: Rotary Clubs, Inner Wheel Clubs, Lavington Lions Club, CWA groups, Share the Dignity, Wangaratta Library, Twin City Classic Vehicle Club, Dederang Races and the Special Children’s Christmas Party.
💜 Businesses and supporters: Aisha Flow Yoga (Bron & Adam), Rehab Management, Myer, Albury Tax Office, Ray White Real Estate, Border Trust, Enhance Physio, Kip McGrath Albury, Smiths Office Solutions, Storage King Wodonga, Toyota Material Handling, Arnold’s Butchers, GIVIT, LFT Bitumen, Tobin Brothers Funerals and many more.
💜 Education and community partners: Wodonga TAFE (Cathy Prior), Charles Sturt University and the many wonderful people who have contributed their time, skills and resources.
💜 Community representatives: Justin Clancy, Helen Haines and Dr Lachie McKeeman.
And of course, our philanthropists, individual donors (Donna Scammell and Denise Robinson), local families, volunteers and the hundreds of people whose names may never appear publicly but whose generosity has made an enormous difference.
I also want to acknowledge Duryarne Streat and the countless other individuals who have helped make this journey possible.
If I have missed your name, please know it is not because your contribution hasn’t mattered. Every single donation, every handmade item, every dollar and every act of kindness has helped us change someone’s experience of crisis.
You have all been part of something extraordinary.
And this is why I am not ready to give up on Tots2Teens.
Because when I look at our organisation, I don’t see a failing charity.
I see a charity that is kicking goals, with just TWO hiccups standing between us and a sustainable future!
💜 HICCUP NUMBER ONE – A PAID FULL-TIME POSITION
For 11 years, I have given my time voluntarily to establish, develop and manage Tots2Teens and The Nest.
But the reality is that running a crisis-support charity, coordinating referrals, managing volunteers, building partnerships, sourcing resources and ensuring families receive the support they need is a full-time job.
And full-time jobs need to be financially sustainable.
I need to be able to continue doing the work I love while also being able to pay my rent, put food on my own family’s table and meet my responsibilities as a mum.
That shouldn’t be an unreasonable expectation after 11 years of unpaid service.
A funded full-time position would also allow us to establish consistent operating days, coordinate our wonderful volunteers more effectively and ensure The Nest can provide reliable, daily support to those experiencing crisis.
We don’t need to reinvent Tots2Teens. We need to make the organisation we have already built sustainable.
💜 HICCUP NUMBER TWO – A BIGGER, AFFORDABLE HOME FOR THE NEST 🪺
Our beautiful Nest has become a place where dignity, compassion and choice are at the heart of everything we do.
But we have outgrown our space!
We need larger premises that allow us to further develop our trauma-informed, client-led environment, with sufficient storage for bulk donations, sorting, packing and preparing items for families.
And importantly, we need somewhere affordable.
At approximately $2,000 per month in rent, that is $24,000 every year that could otherwise go towards supporting children and families in crisis.
Imagine what we could achieve if a local business, property owner, philanthropist or community organisation could help us secure a suitable space at a significantly reduced cost!
So there you have it. Two hiccups.
Not a lack of community support.
Not a lack of donations.
Not a lack of referrals.
And certainly not a lack of passion or purpose.
Just two very real operational challenges that need solutions.
One funded full-time position and one larger, affordable premises.
After 11 years, I believe Tots2Teens has demonstrated its value to this community.
I also believe that the answer may already be sitting somewhere within our incredible network of supporters.
Perhaps it is a partnership with an established organisation, a philanthropic opportunity, a business willing to sponsor a position, or someone who has access to a suitable building.
I don’t know what the solution will look like just yet.
But I can promise you this.
I will leave no stone unturned in exploring every opportunity to secure the future of Tots2Teens and The Nest.
In the meantime, we will continue doing what we have always done — supporting our community with compassion, dignity and love.
Because for 11 years, our community has never let the children down.
And I am not ready to let go of what we have built together.
We can’t change the situation, but we can change the memory. 💜
With heartfelt gratitude,
Joanne Nicholson
Founder & Area Manager
Tots2Teens Albury Wodonga 💜🪺
