Beanie Drive: Bringing Warmth to Those in Need
On Tuesday the 24th of June, the Social Action group embarked on an inspiring and meaningful excursion to Perth city to deliver donated beanies to St Vincent de Paul Society (WA) Inc., as part of our winter initiative to support people experiencing homelessness.
This project began at the start of Term 2, when our class brainstormed ways to make a practical difference in our local community. We recognised the increasing challenges faced by those without shelter during the colder months, and we wanted to provide a small source of comfort: warm beanies. From there, the idea of a Beanie Drive was born.
With only a few weeks to organise the project, our team created a detailed weekly timetable outlining each task we needed to complete to stay on track. Our first goal was to spread the word to other Montessori school sites and local early learning centres. Using Canva, we designed informative and eye-catching flyers which we displayed around the Adolescent Program and distributed to:
Rockingham Montessori Primary School
Port Kennedy Montessori Primary School
Busy Bees Childcare in Port Kennedy
To collect donations, we repurposed spare cardboard boxes by cutting and painting them, turning them into collection points for beanies. These boxes were delivered to each participating school and childcare site, with clear instructions about the collection timeframe. Over the following weeks, we attended school community meetings to keep the wider student body informed and encouraged ongoing participation.
After several weeks of collection and communication, we were thrilled to gather a total of 80 beanies—a generous contribution made possible by the collective effort of students, families, and staff from all three sites.
Once the collection phase was complete, we began planning the final step: delivering the beanies in person to the St Vincent de Paul Society in Perth. On the day of the excursion, we travelled into the city by train, using a combination of public transport and walking to reach our destination.
Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by Ben, the coordinator of the organisation. He guided us through the centre and shared valuable insight into the services they provide. We learned that the centre includes 10 rooms, each designed to accommodate one person at a time. It is currently the only location in Perth offering short-term accommodation to people experiencing homelessness. Guests are permitted to stay for one week and must be referred by another shelter to qualify.
In addition to accommodation, the St Vincent de Paul Society offers daily hot meals, free counselling sessions, and general support to those in need. Despite the limitations in how long individuals can stay, the organisation makes a significant impact in helping people feel seen, cared for, and supported during a very difficult time in their lives.
After donating our 80 beanies and expressing our gratitude to the staff, we left feeling proud, motivated, and inspired to continue our work. The excursion was a powerful reminder of how small, thoughtful actions can have a real and meaningful effect on the lives of others.
We are already looking forward to planning our next community initiative in Term 3, and we hope to continue growing our impact by supporting more organisations that serve vulnerable populations.
-Isla
AP student
