This July, Annie Sloan stockists across Australia, including Pakenham, are invited to partner with not-for-profits (NFPs), charities and organisations in their local community to paint – and then donate – furniture for them to use, pass on to those in need, or sell for fundraising.
Aprile Remmali is a Pakenham Lakeside local who has been painting for years and recently became an Annie Sloan stockist.
Aprile was quick to jump on board the charity drive.
“I have been painting for seven years and I am passionate about up-cycling,” she said.
“I have mainly been painting and giving to friends and family, then there was this opportunity become a stockist to help and influence people locally, so I put my hand up.”
The idea behind the paint to donate drive is that community organisations that recieve local donations, often end up with shabby furniture that is tired looking and sometimes unsafe.
Paint to Donate Australia’s objective is to work together to give new life to donated furniture with paint.
The initiative is also has sustainability in mind, wishing to reduce the approximately 30,000 tonnes of furniture that makes its way to Australian landfill each year.
It means that community groups, schools, charities, or not-for-profit (NFP) organisations receive donated furniture that is useful and safe.
Aprile hopes to bring this message to the local area.
“I am the first Annie Sloan stockist in the Pakenham area, I want to influence and teach others to take up painting, you can help others and it’s fantastic for the environment and for mental health,” she said.
Exactly which community group each of the Annie Sloan stockists supports for Paint to Donate Australia is up to them.
Stockists will start by liaising with their favourite local charity or community not-for-profit group, while some will hold their own Paint to Donate Workshop to create greater connections with their local community as well.
While the efforts will continue over the next months, Aprile has a planned figured out, she will be working with Bless Collective, a charity in Pakenham which has been providing food, clothing and supplies for those in need since 2016.
“The plan is to paint in July and then in August it will be donated to blessed collective where it will be auctioned off with the proceeds going to their work,” Aprile said.
While Aprile will also be holding a class for those to get into painting.
“I will also hold a class to teach people painting and upcycling, where I hope others will get involved too,” she said.
Annie Sloan encourages all its stockists to check their garages and homes for old furniture items that are gathering dust – or scout for a free roadside find they can help improve and donate.
Paint to Donate Australia will be held over July and August, it will culminate with finished painted pieces being handed over to NFPs, charities and community groups in need during Keep Australia Beautiful Week from 7 to 13 August.
