Common blankets for The Nest Collective!

We have delivered 20 kids and baby blankets to The Nest Collective to distribute through their community networks in Wellington. The Nest Collective started in February 2021 with one common vision - to see all New Zealand babies given a great start in life. We spoke to Natalia from The Nest Collective about what they do and why they do it! 

“The Nest Collective started in February 2021 with one common vision - to see all New Zealand babies given a great start in life. We are a collective of volunteers across the country that give baby essentials to families in need.” Said The Nest Collective National Manager Natalia Karacaoglu.

The Nest Collective creates packs of essentials for a baby from birth right up to one year old and beyond. Their branches throughout Aotearoa work alongside social workers and other community partners to provide these free packs of baby and children’s essentials to people facing material hardship.

Natalia said, “All packs include a woollen bassinet or pram blanket and a woollen cot blanket - the arrival of these 20 Common blankets is a huge support to the Wellington branch.” 

Like us, The Nest Collective is a huge supporter of wool for kids and babies. “We believe the evidence is clear – wool and natural fibres are amazing for babies! We insist on natural fibres like wool for all bedding and clothing up to size one.” Said Natalia.

Natural fibres like wool allow babies to maintain their own body temperature and allow their skin to ‘breathe’. When babies overheat (one of the risks with synthetic fibres) they struggle to maintain other aspects of their physiology - at extremes, this can include difficulty maintaining regular breathing, regular heartbeat and blood sugar levels.

As well as helping to regulate temperature, wool is most known for its insulative properties - perfect for keeping children and babies warm. We know that many regions in New Zealand are in a housing crisis with a lack of warm, safe, affordable housing for families. That’s why The Nest Collective always includes lots of warm clothing, bedding and blankets in all sizes, with only natural fibres including wool for babies under one. 

“Every day we hear of the immense need out there in our communities and every day we see the goodness of New Zealanders. We have school children knitting blankets, retirement village groups making cardigans, and parents decluttering their own baby items and donating them to us.” Said Natalia. “We also hear from our community partners what our baby packs mean to their families.”

 A social worker that The Nest Collective works with shared:

“You have no idea what a wonderful resource you are in enabling us to meet the material needs of our clients. If these needs are met it opens the doors to address the real issues behind these needs.’

One in nine New Zealand children live in households reporting material hardship, which means many families face impossible financial decisions, such as choosing between paying the power bill or buying warm clothing for their children.

How parents are doing is central to babies’ wellbeing and early development. Not having enough resources to support a baby’s wellbeing, such as nappies and warm clothes, creates stress, as evidenced through higher rates of postpartum depression among low-income mothers. We aim to support families experiencing financial difficulties in a way that shares dignity and joy as well as warmth. Helping out with quality essentials takes the pressure off living costs and other necessities.

Want to get involved? There are lots of ways you can help The Nest Collective meet material needs in our community:

Donate goods or funds to The Nest Collective! People can donate new or secondhand baby items (we accept most baby items). Monetary donations can be used to purchase items to fill the gaps. Head to their donate page to find out more.

Craft for The Nest Collective! There is a strong community of 600+ crafters (‘The Nest Makers’) across the country making baby items for our packs. You can join their Facebook group to get inspired!

Volunteer with The Nest Collective! Head to their website to find out how.

Follow The Nest Collective on Facebook or Instagram! Engaging with their content helps share their story and encourages all of their volunteers to keep going! 

We love absolutely love that The Nest Collective shares our belief that there is huge power in our community. Together we can make a difference!