World Kindness Day
If there is one thing you can never have too much of, it’s kindness. This year, World Kindness Day falls on Sunday the 13th of November, and you can bet we’re excited!
Events
Read about all our exciting upcoming and past events which benefit our Pyjama Children and how you can show your support!
National Pyjama Day 2022
National Pyjama Day is back and bigger than ever! Join us in our mission to support the educational and life outcomes of kids living in foster care, all while rocking your favourite PJs!
Myer partners with The Pyjama Foundation
From April 4, in every Myer store across the nation, every purchase of a uniquely designed pair of The Pyjama Foundation X Myer PJ’s will gift $5 to the Foundation.
Every donation matched for 24 hours
Across Australia, more than 30,000 children living in foster care won’t graduate from high school. The effect of bouncing from home to home often results in failure to reach literacy and numeracy benchmarks.
For over 15 years The Pyjama Foundation has been actively working to change this. By recruiting and training committed community volunteers the Foundation can help children in care thrive.
Today is International Giving Tuesday. To celebrate, Direct Connect Australia and Prism Surgical will match every donation made to The Pyjama Foundation for 24 hours. Therefore, this will double the already incredible impact a donation makes to ensuring more children can be supported in 2020.
Foundation CEO and executive director, Bronwyn Sheehan, is blown away by the support for the Christmas Campaign.
“We are always amazed by the support received at Christmas, but this year has been made extra special with the opportunity to match all donations for one day only,” she said.
“This is a chance for the community to make an even bigger impact with their donation, and to help us change the direction of a child’s life.”
It costs $800 to train every new Pyjama Angel. By raising $40,000 in donations for the 2019 Christmas Campaign, The Pyjama Foundation will be able to train 50 Pyjama Angel’s and, above all, support more children in foster care.
HOW TO DONATE
Head to our Christmas Appeal to make a donation which will be instantly matched* and have double the impact on a child who deserves it most this Christmas.
*Up to the value of $10,000. Donations made on 3 December for 24 hours only.
Brisbane black tie gala enhances the lives of children in foster care
TUXEDO’S and ball gowns will be flocking to QUT’s Room Three Sixty on October 12 with one very important mission at front of mind.
The Pyjama Foundation’s annual Big Dreams Gala Ball raises crucial funds to support its Love of Learning Program, providing a learning mentor to vulnerable children in the out-of-home care system.
This year is extra special for the Foundation as it celebrates 15 years of changing the direction of children’s lives.
Queensland Minister for Child Safety Di Farmer congratulated The Pyjama Foundation on its 15th birthday.
“There is nothing more important to help kids learn to read and write than reading to them, and I cannot overstate the value of the work that The Pyjama Foundation does together with their volunteers to make sure kids in care get that same great start in life,” Ms Farmer said.
“To everyone associated with The Pyjama Foundation during the past 15 years – founder Brownyn Sheehan, staff, and their army of Pyjama Angels – thank you for being important adults in children’s lives.
“You have made, and continue to make such a difference in thousands of children’s lives.”
Ms Farmer encouraged Queensland’s corporate community to support the Pyjama Foundation’s Big Dreams Gala Ball next month.
“Attending the Gala Ball is an easy way to assist this wonderful organisation to recruit, screen, train and support more volunteers to help more children build their life skills and confidence so they can take on the world,” she said.
Many businesses across Queensland have already pledged their support for the evening donating incredible prizes to help the Foundation raise vital funds to continue its important work in the community.
Prizes include accommodation in Australia and internationally, experiences such as paint and sip and mini golf at Brisbane’s incredible Victoria Park complex and a state-of-the-art trampoline from the team at Vuly.
The Pyjama Foundation founder and CEO Bronwyn Sheehan said she was humbled by the support the event had received already and was hopeful this year would raise more funds than ever before.
“Attendance at our Gala Ball always leaves people with the most special, magical feeling that they are really doing something important to change the direction of a child’s life,” she said.
“It’s so much more than just a chance to get dressed up, attendees here first hand from the children and carers they are supporting and the impact our Foundation has made on their lives.”
Currently, there are more than 48,000 children in foster care in Australia, with more than 9,000 here in QLD.
The Pyjama Foundation currently mentors more than 1400 of these children nationally and feels it is only scratching the surface of the level of support it can provide to kids in care.
Statistics show without early intervention such as The Pyjama Foundation’s Love of Learning program, many children in the system will not graduate grade 12 and face heightened statistics of homeless and juvenile detention.
To support the Foundation at their Big Dreams Gala Ball and help turn these statistics around, please purchase a ticket via: https://tiny.cc/BigDreamsBall
Please contact events@thepyjamafoundation.com for more information on sponsorship opportunities.
Our Big Dreams Gala Ball 2018
One week ago, we hosted the night of all nights — an evening of glitz, glam and giving back. Guests came from as far as Western Australia to celebrate The Pyjama Foundation’s Big Dreams Gala Ball and raise much needed funds for children in foster care. Attendees were met with some of Brisbane’s best views, with the balcony of Room ThreeSixty at QUT providing a perfect outlook to the Story Bridge and Kangaroo Point.
The theme for this year’s event was inspired by the very core values of The Pyjama Foundation — every child should have the opportunity to dream big and go far. Each child should be given the tools to follow their wildest dreams!
Children living in out of home care often bounce between different homes and to different schools, which can affect their opportunities to read and learn, causing them to fall behind their peers academically. Dreams are no good if they remain just dreams and the Big Dreams Gala Ball was for the 52,000 Australian children living in foster care, with a focus on letting them know that their dreams and desires are just as valid as the next child’s.
Our guests were met at the door with a 9ft angel pouring bubbly for each willing patron (see below if you don’t believe us!), live entertainment, a photobooth setup worth marvelling at and a constantly stocked candy bar. It was a magical start to the evening!
We were lucky to be joined by former and present Pyjama kids, as well as many of our Pyjama Angels who continue to inspire us every day. Senior Executive Director, Accommodation, Respite and Forensic Disability Services at Department of Communities, Disability Services and Seniors Matthew Lupi was the entertaining MC for the evening, surprising guests with dream themed trivia between meals. Matthew welcomed the Honourable Di Farmer, Minister for Child Safety, Youth and Women and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence to give a powerful address to start off the evening.
Guests were thrilled with the banquet-style dinner, flowing beverages and incredible prizes. Our token instant win mystery envelopes were a hit again this year, with everyone walking away a winner thanks to our incredible prize sponsors! Raffle tickets were available to purchase on the night with more amazing prizes up for grabs, those who won the accommodation in Phuket and the Lamborghini driving experience were envied by all!
Our live auction also went off with a bang thanks to our friends at Watt Realty who got the crowd rearing for our big-ticket auction items! Accommodation on the ski slopes in Canada, a stay in a five-star lodge in Queenstown, and a private chef dinner in your own home all sold at generous prices to those in the room.
The money raised on the evening will go directly towards our Love of Learning Program which aims to improve the educational outcomes of children in foster care, just like 9-year-old Frankie who spoke about his special Pyjama Angel at our gala. A few words from his speech on the evening:
“Cathy has been visiting me for almost five years. The things we do together are read, play sport, watch movies, play iPad games, play with kinetic sand and sometimes go to the skate park. We have dinner together every week,” he said.
“I look forward to Wednesdays. Every Wednesday I ask mum, ‘Is Cathy coming today?’. I like Cathy a lot.
“Thank you for helping The Pyjama Foundation, so kids like me can have a special friend.”
There was so much love, laughter and great acts of generosity on the evening, to which we thank each person who attended. It was truly a wonderful night and we are so thankful to have spent it with so many people who are crucial to our foundation.
Thank you for supporting The Pyjama Foundation’s Big Dreams Gala Ball, we couldn’t have pulled it off without your support and we hope to see you all again next year.
