BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE

JULY 4, 2024

National Pyjama Day is one of our favourite fundraising events (even though us grown-ups shouldn’t play favourites!), because it provides an excuse to wear jammies to work, while raising money to help the Pyjama Foundation empower children in foster care.   

Any parent or educator will know how crucial it is for children to have access to quality educational resources and positive role models, and this is exactly what National Pyjama Day raises money for!  

There’s the option of hosting your own Pyjama Day (on 19 July 2024 or any time in July or August), or attending someone else’s event; and regardless of what your diary looks like, you can always donate funds online.  

Loads of early learning services around Australia have already set up funding goals and started planning Pyjama Days, but a special mention must go to Affinity Education Group.  

It was an Affinity service – Milestones Early Learning Wamberal – that raised the most funds of any childcare centre last year, and as an organisation, Affinity is all in with Pyjama Day!  

They’ve nationally supported the Pyjama Foundation since 2022, and the provider’s great commitment began with one Affinity employee.  

Zoe Aubry is Centre Manager at Papilio Early Learning Hunters Hill, and when she came up with the idea to fundraise for National Pyjama Day at a centre level, her employer quickly came to the party and helped Zoe scale this idea up!  

Pyjama Day is now celebrated at all 238 Affinity centres, which means every single Educator, Teacher and Centre Manager is currently selecting their sleepwear, planning fun activities, and encouraging their childcare community to get behind this brilliant cause.  

Zoe’s little one is already wearing his PJs and, so far, 100 Affinity centres have whizzed into action with their fundraising campaigns, which you can donate to here. 

Across the organisation, Affinity has a stellar fundraising goal of $20,000, and to make things even better, the provider is running their CEO Challenge for the second year in a row.  

This is exciting, because it means their Chief Executive Officer, Tim Hickey, will don his dressing gown and match Affinity’s top fundraising centre, dollar for dollar.  

In 2023, Milestones Wamberal had their $2,033.21 fundraising total raised to $4,066.42 by their CEO, and in 2024, there’s plenty of healthy competition in the Affinity family! 

Kids Academy Glenmore Park raised the seventh highest amount last year, out of all childcare centres in Australia, and Centre Manager, Jessie Klaasen, is the first to admit that she and her team are bringing their competitive spirit to this year’s fundraising! 

Within moments of setting their fundraising goal, Jessie, her sister, her mum and several Educators had already donated to their cause.  

And, of course, a competitive fundraiser like Kids Academy Glenmore Park doesn’t just do one Pyjama Day!  

Instead, Jessie and her team have a whole week of activities planned, from 15 to 19 July, and there’s talk of a Onesie Day, an Oodie Day and a Cartoon Day.  

Eight of Glenmore Park’s Educators have children enrolled at the centre, so matching PJs may well be part of the program, and there will definitely be food, photos and serious fun. 

Jessie says, “We might even do a teddy bears’ picnic on the 19th” to get every member of the childcare community involved, including the plush ones! 

It’s also worth noting that Affinity’s connection with the Pyjama Foundation goes further than fundraising.  

Affinity and the Pyjama Foundation share a similar focus when it comes to children’s learning.  

They both know how important it is that children learn how to learn, and are given the resources and relationships they need to reach their potential; and this isn’t just something they think – it’s something they support every single day.  

It’s also brilliant to see that Affinity’s Head of Publicity and Engagement, Carla Adams, is a Pyjama Angel!  

This means she’s volunteered to be a consistent and encouraging mentor for a child in foster care, and Carla says, “Since Affinity has supported the Pyjama Foundation, I’ve signed up and completed my training.  

“I now have my own little Angel, a gorgeous girl aged seven, and regularly meet with her and share exciting resources and books borrowed the Pyjama Foundation library. 

“Recently, I gave my Angel a pair of new rainbow PJs, which she adored, and we’re both looking forward to celebrating National Pyjama Day in July, and continuing to build our positive relationship in the months and, hopefully, years to come.” 

This is all very inspiring, and whether you’re interested in donating your time or money, it’s easy to support the Pyjama Foundation.  

If you like the idea of becoming a Pyjama Angel, like Carla, there’s helpful info here. 

And if you’d love to donate to Affinity’s National Pyjama Day campaign (and get as many dollars as possible out of their CEO!), this is the link you need. 

The Pyjama Foundation is really grateful for any change you can spare; and we can’t wait to see if Milestones Wamberal keeps their crown in 2024, Kids Academy Glenmore Park takes top spot, or another centre ends up number onesie in the fundraising ladder!