Gidget Foundation Australia

Gidget Giving Day 2022

DOUBLE your impact on Wednesday 22 June... so that Gidget Foundation Australia can support more families like Melissa’s, who are struggling with perinatal depression and anxiety.

Our fundraising target of $150,000 will allow us to provide complete care to 50 of the most vulnerable expectant and new parents nationally.

Thanks to some of our most generous supporters, all donations will be matched from 9:00am Wednesday 22 June - 9:00am Thursday 23 June.

Gidget Giving Day 2022 Matchers:

Charles Warman Foundation
Eureka Benevolent Foundation
Prendiville Foundation

It is critical that we are able to reach and support as many vulnerable families in need as possible. Recent research conducted by Gidget Foundation Australia revealed that 65% of expectant and new parents feel that they don't have a strong network supporting them through parenthood.

We are seeing enormous demand for our perinatal mental health services, and we must be there to support new parents like Melissa and her husband Ben.

“I remember feeling so fortunate to fall pregnant quickly. I’d felt prepared for motherhood for a long time and my husband and I were excited and ready to start a family.

Within days of my first scan at six weeks pregnant, I soon realised how mentally unprepared I was for the pregnancy journey ahead. As I progressed through the first trimester, anxiety began to creep deeper into my days and nights.

The anxiety would find different ways to attack me each day, or sometimes even hourly. How sick would I feel today, and what pregnancy symptoms would I get? What if I fainted while I was alone? Would my fears and anxieties pass onto my baby, did I actually still want a baby, and could I give them the life they deserved?

Getting out of bed was enough to induce the feeling that I wasn’t safe. I felt fear everywhere and began shutting off from the world around me. I started declining invites from friends and family and friends to catch up and hoping my phone wouldn’t ring.

The feelings were so overwhelming that I lost all excitement I once had about bringing a baby into the world.

As my pregnancy progressed further into my second trimester, my mind turned past pregnancy to birth, and my next challenge – my deep fear of hospitals which I’ve had since I was a child. By this stage, the thought of being in a hospital had become so overwhelming, that I could no longer attend my routine scans or obstetric appointments.

I’d heard of Gidget Foundation Australia through two friends and although I wasn’t sure how I could be helped, I was willing to give anything a try. I attended my first appointment with angst and uncertainty, but it proved to be a turning point in my pregnancy.

I have shared my story in the hope of helping anyone who is experiencing or knows someone who is experiencing, anxiety or mental ill-health. If my story has resonated with you, know that you don’t need to do it alone and there’s help available.

A big thank you to our Supporters

The real heroes who are kindly helping us achieve our goal

Elise Ogden

$50

Trevor Loewensohn

$3.02k

Daren Donnellan

$104

Lisa Smith

$515

David Lane

$200

Geoffrey Mcwilliam

Hi Jess Great and very needed work !

$261

Emma And Andrew Maple-brown

$5k

Geoff Smith

Hi Sim. Hope all is well for you and Martin. Seems a long time since we have seen each other. This is from Richard and myself. Geoff

$515

Andrea Rejante

$100

Sarah A

$52

Anonymous

$52

Matched Giver

$30k

Vanessa Walker

$30k

Sophie Slater

With eternal gratitude

$104

Isabella Cherry

$26

Ang Fam

$600

The Village Family Centre

Thank you Gidget Foundation for all of the incredible work you do

$26

Nemira

$52

Anonymous

$104

Rowena

$157

Teresa Avila

$104

Tristan Scott

$100

Louise Ridlen

$104

Karl

$300

Libby & Jarrod Bowditch

$2k

Anonymous

$26

Erica Crabtree

$130

Sue Cotton

$515

Anonymous

Thank you to all that support the Gidget Foundation

$52

Stephanie Alchin

$40

Claire Layfield

Thank you for the amazing work you do

$52

Amanda Coneyworth

What an amazing effort today. Thanks to all supporters, volunteers and Board members!

$52

Sacha Calligeros

$104

Brittany Matsen

I can’t thank the Gidget foundation enough for the support I’ve received. Thank you for all that you do ❤️

$52

Edward & Sarah Nicholas

$515

Mel Kelly

$25

Lucia Noyce

$10

Joanna Keam

$209

Simon And Mo Hardy

$209

James Ellis-smith

$26

Matthew De Brouwer

$1,000

David Webster

$104

Anonymous

Love you guys. Keep up the amazing work.

$515

Faye Conte-hirst

Such a vital service!

$104

Christine Britten-jones

$104

Helen Ryan

$52

Judy Rose

$52

David Edwards

Let Gidget's spirit shine in the lives of other precious parents like her on this special day!

$136

Terry Hughes

$52

Jacqui Cotton

$157

Rodney Davis

$26

Kim Mouret

Gidget touches lives for good - everyday. Hope we can do more of it.

$515

Anonymous

$52

Anonymous

$50

Donna Espiner

$136

Justine Harvey

$26

Michelle Mcnamara

$261

Claudine Williams

$515

William Anderson

We are So proud of You

$500

Emma Bagnall

$261

Milkbar Breastpumps

$515

Andrew Crawford

This contribution is from Dianne Hamilton and Andrew Crawford of Blooms The Chemist. We are very proud to support this fantastic charity.

$104

Nicole Clark

$1.02k

Anonymous

$130

Anthony Bryen

$500

Ron Higham

$136

Logan Family

Will always be grateful for the support of Gidget

$515

Will Colwell

$104

Anonymous

$157

Anonymous

All done all at Gidget Best wishes for a super day today!

$3.02k

Brigitta Eiberger

Rest, relax and know that people are thinking of you at this challenging time. Love B

$52

Alleanza Architecture

$1.02k

Carlotta Annan

$52

Samantha

Wouldn’t have survived without the support of Gidget House

$100

Sharon Ferrarin

$136

Natalie Speranza

Such wonderful support for so many families 🌸 Watching from afar today. Hope you reach the target to help even more families in need x

$26

Ian & Marisa Dryland

$500

Maja Paleka

$261

Lawrence Newell

$104

Calmans Pharmacy

$250

Mark Arnold

$3.02k

Lisa Sandrk

An amazing service helping so many!

$104

Lisa Williams

Thank you for everything you do and have done, for me and for all the families who need this critical service. I am thrilled you have opened at Kareena and would be open to being a local advocate if you ever needed it!

$63

Blake Walker

Keep up the great job. Spread the care.

$1,000

Doug Stuart

$261

Doug Ferguson

Thanks Jarrod Libbie and Jess Davis for all your leadership

$150

Preston Foster

$136

Daniel Gilbert

$10.02k

Kate Brow

Thank you for helping me be the best mother I can be xxx

$136

Jess Wood

Thank you for being there for me after the birth of my two boys.

$104

Martin Short

$2.02k

Greg Matthews

$52

Dave Blacker

$2.02k

Angela Walsh

In memory of Daisy.

$250

Anonymous

$52

Stephen Reilly

Thank you Gidget Foundation for all you do for so many families.

$1.02k

William Gaha

Well done

$5.02k

Jj

Thank you for all that you do to support parents and children. Through your work you are making the World a better place. ❤️

$50

Emily Drewett

$63

Jen Russell

$261