Jumble Around stalwarts Mary Waters, left, and Marianne Jarvie, outside the Shakespeare St outlet.
Jumble Around has had one of its most successful years ever, resulting in a record $150,000 available for distribution to local not-for-profit organisations.
The 2021 funding round is now open, which means groups seeking assistance should get their application in before the cut-off date of September 15. Organisations hoping to benefit should also be involved in doing their own fundraising.
Applications will be considered by Jumble Around committee members at the group’s late September annual meeting, with recipient groups being notified soon afterwards.
The Leamington-based charity organisation focuses on supporting the local community, raising funds through the operation of a busy manager-free op-shop in Shakespeare St, run entirely by volunteers. The group has put well over $1 million back into the community during the 53 years since it was launched to help fundraise for the building of Cambridge Resthaven.
Jumble Around supports about 100 local not-for-profit organisations, among them Cambridge Community House, Achievement House, St John, the Māori Women’s League, Cancer Support, schools, kindergartens, and some regional groups with ties to Cambridge residents.
Last year, they raised $123,000. Jumble Around president Marianne Jarvie said this year’s funds are the highest so far. “It just keeps going up and up. We rely on the community to support us, and they have been fantastic again this year.”
One of the longer-standing team members, Mary Waters, said the funding round was held annually at this time of the year.
Both women said the numbers of people coming in with goods and purchasing from the store was increasing. That could in part be attributed to increasing need due to the economic pressures of the Covid-19 epidemic, they said, but there is also a greater interest in op-shop buying.
Application forms for the 2021 funding round can be obtained from Jumble Around, 183 Shakespeare St in Leamington, or via Mary Waters at [email protected].
