‘One person’s extra is another person’s essential’

A game-changing partnership between the not-for-profit sector and the business world is substantially lifting up thousands of Australians in need while simultaneously reducing waste in our community.

Not-for-profit organisation Good360 is the matchmaker charities didn’t know they needed. Good360 matches not for profits and eligible schools to businesses nationwide to gift brand new excess goods to people most in need, everything from clothing and nappies, to books and cosmetics.

Since launching in 2015, Good360 has connected over 8 million donated brand new items – worth more than $80 million – for distribution to Australians most in need. Now it’s looking to the future, with the aim of repurposing $1 billion worth of goods by 2025.

To celebrate its fourth birthday, Good360 is offering free membership to all ACNC registered not for profits and schools with an ICSEA ranking below 1,000, and waiving the usual annual fee ($250 plus GST). Once registered, members can access hundreds of brand new goods from the website and best of all the goods are free. Members only pay a small shipping and handling cost to get the goods direct to their door.

“Whether it’s toys to a domestic violence shelter or notebooks for a mental health program, if Australians have the need, our business partners have the goods,” Good360 Australia founder Alison Covington said.

“We believe that one person’s extra is another person’s essential. That’s why our goal is for nothing useful to lie unused.”

Moose Toys EVP global marketing Belinda Gruebner said: “We don’t just dream of making kids ‘superhappy’, we actually do it. With the help of inspiring partnerships, like Good360, we’re working to make a positive difference to children and their communities to help them access the pure power of play.”

Just as food rescue organisations have now become a core part of Australia’s corporate donations, in the four years Good360 has been operating, an enormous variety of excess new products have found their way to NFPs which have tight budgets but huge demand for their services.

“It’s about bringing together the people working to lift up Australian communities and the spare new goods of businesses. We connect surplus with need,” Covington said.

“Our goal is to get products into the hands of Australians who need them most and we want all not for profits and eligible schools to be able to participate easily and have greater impact.”

With Good360, everyone wins. While not for profits receive free products, businesses find a home for their excess stock, knowing that the goods are going to the right place. It’s goods, for the greater good.

Good360 already has a network of more than 1,000 not for profit’s and over 100 businesses. Now with $0 membership fee, the hope is that more NFPs and schools will be able to access brand new goods for Australians of all ages in need.

“We’ve got plenty of brand new goods in the warehouse ready to go,” Covington said.

“Our aim is to move it quickly into the hands of the people who need it most.”

To find out more about Good360 and the benefits for your organisation, visit www.good360.org.au or phone the giving team on (02) 8594 3600.