Big Heart rises from the ashes

A new IMB-funded initiative for Mission Australia’s Big Heart Enterprises will help the Bellambi operation to bounce back after last month’s warehouse fire.

The Bags for Rags project, which is likely to create new employment opportunities as well as work experience and training for Illawarra residents, has been set up thanks to a $24,000 fast-tracked community grant from the building society.

This project joins Mission Australia’s other local environmental enterprise - Soft Landing - which strips mattresses of recyclable parts such as metal, foam and timber and in the process diverts some 140 tonnes of waste from landfill.

It will also work in conjunction with our Big Heart retail enterprise, which diverts more than 100,000 tonnes of clothing from landfill through seven Big Heart opportunity shops in the Illawarra and south-western Sydney.

Clothes, mattresses and televisions stored in the 4,000 square metre warehouse that is home to our Big Heart and Soft Landing businesses were destroyed when a stack of mattress frames caught alight on 6 March.

Mission Australia NSW Operations Manager Social Enterprises Bill Dibley told today’s Illawarra Mercury that the IMB grant could not have come at a better time.

"It was a huge bonus for us that they were prepared to move the funding forward." he said.

Bags to Rags is the brainchild of Project Manager Justine Fitzgibbon, who saw an opportunity to provide waste material to service stations, mechanics, manufacturing and hardware businesses.

"I would like to see Bags to Rags up and running by the start of the new financial year," she told The Illawarra Mercury. "Initially we will be utilising volunteers and providing work experience through schools, job services and from anyone wanting to volunteer their time.”

Ms Fitzgibbon added that as the program grows it will hopefully employ people through a traineeship scheme.

In recent weeks Big Heart Enterprises volunteers have been working from a site in Fairymeadow, but it is hoped that all staff and volunteers will be able to return to Bellambi next month.

Volunteer or find out more:

• Big Heart is always looking for volunteer retail and warehouse workers as well as truck drivers. If you would like to donate your time to support Mission Australia in the Illawarra, including as a Bags to Rags volunteer, please call 1800 110 578 or visit volunteering@missionaustralia.com.au.
• Watch this short video to find out more about Mission Australia’s Soft Landing social enterprise