National Pyjama Day
Wear your fanciest, funniest or comfiest PJs for a great cause!
BY HEJIRA CONVERY
A good pair of PJs will keep you warm as the nights close in, but on 21 July they have a feel-good factor that has less to do with flannelette and more to do with fundraising!
21 July is the official date for National Pyjama Day 2023, and if you’re not familiar with this event, or just want to iron out the details before jumping in, then here’s a quick wrap-up of what the Day’s all about.
National Pyjama Day is a fun event with a serious goal, because it raises awareness and money to help kids in foster care.
It’s run by The Pyjama Foundation, a charity that supports children living in foster care, and the idea is simple – you get to wear your fave pair of pyjamas during daytime hours (yippeeee!), while raising money to help The Pyjama Foundation do their amazing work.
Through their Love of Learning Program, the Foundation empowers children with learning, life skills and confidence; and funds raised through National Pyjama Day will help to pay for educational resources and connect foster children with committed community mentors called ‘Pyjama Angels.’
You can read more about The Pyjama Foundation and their Angels in this KindiCare article, and if you’re already choosing your favourite pair of PJs, then read on!
National Pyjama Day is coming soon and there loads of different ways to get involved.
You’ve got the option of hosting a Pyjama Day event, or joining one, and like any good nightwear, this fundraiser is flexible!
You can wear a onesie instead of a twosie, and although the official date for National Pyjama day is 21 July 2023, you can host a Pyjama Day anytime throughout July, August and September.
You might like to fundraise on your own, inviting your nearest, dearest and remotest to donate.
Or, you can get your whole workplace, childcare centre, school or other fundraising team in on the effort, like Dewdrops Early Learning and Rockhampton South Kindergarten have done.
A creative approach to fundraising is also very welcome!
A Pyjama Disco or Magnificently Comfy Morning Tea are two options, and we think a Flannelette Fashion Parade or Onesie-Twosie Quiz Contest could be winners too!
Some businesses donate a percentage of their day’s profits to the cause, while others invite customers to give some coin as they come and go, and there’s also the option of making a donation straight on the National Pyjama Day website.
Whichever approach you take, The Pyjama Foundation’s CEO and Founder, Bronwyn Sheehan OAM, says, “National Pyjama Day is all about supporting children in care in the cosiest and most impactful way possible.”
“With less than a month to go, I am calling on all Australians and childcare centres to register and show support for the 48,000 children in care in Australia.”
If you are keen to come up with an event, it’s super easy to be a host with the most.
All you have to do is sign up for National Pyjama Day, decide when you want to host your Pyjama Day, set a fundraising goal, then start bringing those donations in!
Your fundraising page will appear when you sign up; you’ll receive a fundraising kit in the post; and there are some colourful resources to help you tailor your event and spread the word.
Printables like raffle tickets, cake toppers, social media tiles and Zoom backgrounds will pump up the fun factor in person and online, and this year’s fundraising goal of $950,000 is definitely do-able.
