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!
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Warm oven, warmer heart: Stacey’s desire to defy odds and make a difference this Pyjama Day.
AS Australia continues to brave the COVID-19 storm, community spirit and kindness can be just as contagious, as we continue to cope with these unprecedented circumstances.
The Pyjama Foundation has been preparing for its biggest annual fundraiser, National Pyjama Day, celebrated on July 17th. The aim of the day is to raise as much awareness and funds for the Love of Learning Program, so The Pyjama Foundation’s mission can continually be pursued.
This year’s planning has looked very different for us and our registrants. Many obstacles have crossed our path as we discovered new and inventive ways to fundraise. CEO and founder Bronwyn Sheehan said absolutely loves how innovative people are being during these unparalleled times.
Melbourne Pyjama Angel, Stacey Lowry is back celebrating National Pyjama Day for a second time, defying all odds in her pursuit to make a difference.
Stacey has been working with “Miss 14” for two years. She says she just loves her mentoring role; it is one of the most rewarding things she has ever accomplished.
Stacey was conscious that the option of hosting a social gathering wasn’t available this year due to Melbourne’s strict lockdown laws.
“Last year I had so much fun hosting a dinner and movie screening to raise funds, I just knew I had to step it up with something even better to bring some love and happiness during these uncertain times,” she said.
With the intention of bringing joy to her local neighbourhood all while raising funds for a cause she is so passionate about; Stacy exercised her imagination.
“I have been baking handmade sourdough breads & sourdough banana breads for my friends. It’s been so hugely successful, that I am at my “baking capacity” for the next three weeks… Each day I bake, wrap and walk the neighbourhood hand delivering warm, baked treats to my friend’s front doors. It brings me so much joy seeing smiling faces at front doors across the suburb.”
Stacey continues to work with “Miss 14” on a week-to-week basis virtually all while channeling her inner Betty Crocker!
Stacey, The Pyjama Foundation would like to thank-you for your fierce passion, contribution and commitment to National Pyjama Day and your work with “Miss 14”.
Please continue to let your light shine!
Free Printable Resources for National Pyjama Day
National Pyjama Day is fast approaching! We’ve put together some free printable resources for your fundraising efforts, whether you’re baking cupcakes at home or asking for donations at the office. Make sure to tag us in your pictures for a chance to feature on our social media or website!
Donation Jar Label
We have 2 options for your donation jar available for download. Simply print this out, write down your goal and stick it on a jar of your choice – we like to put ours around a recycled coffee jar. This is a great way to collect gold coin donations on an office reception desk or a teachers desk.
Download Donation Jar Label – Simple.
Download Donation Jar Label – Party.
Cupcake Toppers
If you’re planning on baking some cupcakes for your pyjama party, make sure to use our super cute cupcake toppers! There are 12 cupcake toppers per sheet featuring 9 different Pyjama Day themed designs. Simply print them out and wrap them around a toothpick for an easy way to increase the cute factor of your cupcakes!
Raffle Tickets
Holding a raffle is another great way to raise some extra money for your National Pyjama Day fundraising effort. This tactic is especially useful for businesses – you could donate a voucher for your service or create a hamper of goodies, and tickets could be sold to clients and customers or offered internally to your team. There are so many ways to fundraise! Make sure you pop the extra details of your raffle on the tickets, including the prize you are offering and your personal campaign page.
Note: You will need to print these double sided, flip on long edge. We used fit to paper as the scale – double check your scale to ensure none of the ticket is outside the printable margins. There are 5 tickets per page.
When distributing tickets, cut off the pink stubs with the ticket holder’s details and keep. Give the white part of the ticket to the ticker holder for their reference.
Photo Booth Props
This is such an easy way to add an element of silly fun to your National Pyjama Day event! Print out these photo booth props and tape them onto skewers or paddlepop sticks, and share some silly snaps with your friends!
If you or someone you know would be a fun and positive influence on a child in care, please consider volunteering for The Pyjama Foundation’s Love of Learning Program.
Together with their mentor, a child in foster care can learn valuable life-skills, confidence and self belief.
Townsville Grammar School gets wacky and tacky for kids in care
Students from Townsville Grammar School have held a Wacky Tacky fundraiser in support of The Pyjama Foundation. Together they raised more than $600 to support children in out-of-home care.
Students and staff dressed up in their wackiest outfits for the last Friday of Week 8. Everyone was encouraged to wear bright clothes and bring even brighter smiles. The school community certainly delivered, with glitter and neon outfits to boot.
Townsville Grammar School captain of the junior school’s community service team Chloe Langtree organised the event. With the help of her fellow students, Chloe passionately got her school community board as a way to give back to her community.
“I chose to support the Pyjama Foundation, because I found what they did really helped the community.
The volunteers don’t get paid, and yet they turn up to help children in need,” she said.
“A Foundation like this one definitely deserves a cheer, and they have my full support. Dedicating fundraiser to them was a way of showing it.”
Townsville Grammar assistant head of junior school Chris Gray said it is important to foster sense of community as part of the culture of the school.
He also acknowledged the need for students and staff to have fun and bring “laughter and smiles” to the school community.
“The last couple of years have been particularly more about FUNraising as we had the flood last year and now COVID-19,” he said.
“Days like these also go a long way to bind us together as a School community and to build on the sense of pride we have for each other and our School.”
If you’d like to find out more about holding a fundraising event to support The Pyjama Foundation, please click here.
Cowboys star inspires children in foster care with love of learning
When North QLD Cowboys footballer John Asiata isn’t on the field or with his family, you can often find him supporting children in foster care.
As a volunteer with The Pyjama Foundation, John is one of 1400 volunteers providing learning guidance, support and mentorship for kids in care.
This year he’s gone one step further encouraging his community to join forces for National Pyjama Day on July 19.
On this day each year, businesses and schools across Townsville wear their pyjamas to raise vital funds and awareness to support children on the foster care system.
In Townsville, this Program is made extra special with the addition of John, who moves between the homes of different children sharing the joy of sports with them.
One of The Foundation’s Townsville carers detailed just how special the interaction is for her children.
“All the children love spending time with their respective Angels because they feel that they are not being judged but accepted for who they are,” she said.
“A special mention to John Asiata who came out to see the kids. It was a buzz for the kids to have a game of footy with John.
“Toby* is a big fan of the Cowboys. John stayed for some time talking to all the children in our home and they asked a lot of questions and they listened to his stories.
“He is such a lovely individual who makes it that little more special. He is an asset to have on board and I know the kids are thrilled to see him.”
Founder of The Pyjama Foundation, Bronwyn Sheehan says the number of foster children is continuing to grow every year and without extra support, empowerment and encouragement, many of the children’s futures will be compromised.
“Currently there are more than 48,000 children in foster care, and statistics show that more than 30,000 of these children will not complete high school.
“Many children in care bounce from home to home, and to difference schools which greatly hinders their learning.
Funds raised from National Pyjama Day will go towards the recruitment and training of more Pyjama Angels as well as learning resources for the children including books, puzzles and educational games.
Last year more than 1,800 participants donned their Pyjamas and raised a total $250,000. This year we hope to continue growing this number and helping children in need receive the educational support they urgently need.
To get involved, register your workplace, school or group for National Pyjama Day at www.nationalpyjamaday.com.
Meet Zoe: Creating a Brighter Future for Kids in Care
This is Zoe. Not only is she a Pyjama Angel, visiting a little 10 year old boy, she has also signed up for Pyjama Day and has created her own fundraising page – managing to gain support from her workplace to raise much needed funds for kids in foster care! We spoke to Zoe to know why she signed up and why it matters to her.
Why did you decide to sign up for Pyjama Day?
I signed up for Pyjama Day because I realised I could help. I knew I’d at least generate some interest among my friends and family, but also thought I could try and go one further and get the OK to fundraise more broadly in my workplace. I did this by stealing 5 minutes in my Executive Managers weekly meeting and walking into said meeting in my dressing gown and slippers. I then proceeded to tell them the story of my friend J* and how he and many other children are in these situations through no fault of their own, but there’s things we can do to help.
Are you planning to do anything exciting in particular on the day? Like a Bake Sale or morning tea?
I have made it very simple. Wear your dressing gown or slippers to work for a gold coin donation. This is simple enough that anyone can do it – even in a corporate environment, as it is easy to change bank into corporate attire for meetings! But it still sends a powerful message and gets peoples attention. It’s also a bit of fun and such a great idea in the middle of winter! Little did I know that I’d also receive support from colleagues offering to make food and sell it as part of the fundraiser. It all starts with an idea!
What made you sign up to become a Pyjama Angel?
I wanted to contribute more as a human being. I thought, have an hour I can spare each week and I can read!” Something so small can mean a lot to people, particularly those who don’t have the support we often take for granted.
What’s it like being a Pyjama Angel and can you describe your placement with the child?
I have been paired with my little buddy, 10-year-old J*. J is in residential care, which means he really doesn’t have much consistency when it comes to the people that are in his life. J likes dinosaurs, transformers, Lego and make believe. Like many kids with autism, he has trouble with his communication (which is where I come in). We have only had 5 visits so far, but we’re already at the stage where he comes running out to greet me with a big smile when I arrive. I can tell that he enjoys our visits and it is definitely the most rewarding part of my week.
You can support Zoe and help her reach her fundraising goal of $500 by donating here or you can sign up your workplace for Pyjama Day by heading towww.nationalpyjamaday.com
