Charity really does begin at home | Northern Rivers Community | Stories about People from Northern Rivers

Saffron Howden | 3rd July 2009

CHARITY: Goonellabah’s Ann Cook sewing with daughters (from left) Belinda Mathieson, of East Lismore, Kim Ebert, of Goonellabah, Sherie Cormack, of Jiggi, and Natasha Cook, of Lismore Heights.

Jacklyn Wagner

THERE was a touch of the Oprah Winfrey in Ann Cook's decision to team up with her four daughters and start a charity to help local kids.

Mrs Cook said she was inspired by seeing a guest on the Oprah television program who had established a similar charity, as well as witnessing the plight of people affected by Victoria's devastating bushfires earlier this year.

The Goonellabah mother, her husband, and her four adult daughters each chipped in $100 to get SleepyCareBank off the ground, pulling together donated pyjamas, nappies, hairbrushes, face washers and toothbrushes in packages for infants to 18 year olds.

“The girls and my husband and I, at the beginning, all put in $100 and looked for bargains, and friends donated too,” Mrs Cook said.

After holding two stalls at Lismore Shopping Square, they are now also being assisted by strangers, including a small clothing company in Tasmania called Time For Bed.

“They sent us a box of really warm pyjamas from size 10 to triple-0,” Mrs Cook said.

SleepyCareBank, which operates under the auspices of the Lismore Neighbourhood Centre, is so far supplying to Women Up North, local womens' and childrens' refuges, and adolescent mental health groups.

Mrs Cook said she was grateful to the people who had already donated and wanted to extend a public thank you.

“Someone dropped in a bag with 27 items of new pyjamas and underwear,” she said.

Contributions to SleepyCareBank can be left at the Lismore and District Neighbourhood Centre in McKenzie Street, Lismore, or posted to PO Box 877, Lismore, 2480.

You can see the women at their stall at Lismore Shopping Square on the third Friday and Sunday of each month.

• Daily newspapers
• Bundaberg News-Mail
• Coffs Coast Advocate
• Fraser Coast Chronicle
• Gladstone Observer
• Grafton Daily Examiner
• Gympie Times
• Ipswich Queensland Times
• Lismore Northern Star
• Mackay Daily Mercury
• Rockhampton Morning Bulletin
• Sunshine Coast Daily
• Toowoomba Chronicle
• Tweed Daily News
• Warwick Daily News
• Community newspapers
• Ballina Shire Advocate
• Biloela Central Telegraph
• Byron Shire News
• Coolum & North Shore News
• East-Ipswich Satellite
• Emerald Central Queensland News
• Gatton Star
• Gold Coast Mail
• Ipswich Advertiser
• Logan Reporter
• Noosa News
• The Northern Rivers Echo
• Whitsunday Times
• Other publications
• Surat Basin News