A smarter way to give
While many local charities were chock full of poor-quality goods that they hadn’t asked for and were struggling to move, they didn’t have specific items that they desperately needed for the people they were supporting, such as sanitary products for women fleeing domestic violence or steel-capped boots for previously unemployed dads starting a new job.
Juliette knew there had to be a smarter way to give.
Giving exactly what's needed, when it's needed
Juliette identified a need to move away from the concept of ‘getting rid’ of your donating clothes and household items by donating them to charity shops to be sold. Instead, how could people’s generosity be channelled towards meeting the exact needs of someone doing it tough through connecting the donor with a charity? Juliette realised there needed to be a platform to connect donors and charities, and so GIVIT was born.
Growth and impact
Within six months, Juliette had registered GIVIT as a charity, created a website and recruited 15 charities. A donated bike enabled a single mum to get to work, and a donated microwave helped a widowed elderly man unable to cook for himself.
When floods devastated Queensland in 2011, Premier Anna Bligh turned to GIVIT for help. Becoming the state government’s official donation management partner for disaster recovery, GIVIT.org.au received 1.8 million website views in 10 days. Within three weeks, over 33,000 items were provided to people who’d lost everything in floods. The burden of unsolicited donations on recovery organisations was reduced, allowing them to channel crucial resources on helping flood-impacted people get back on their feet.
In 2015, in recognition of GIVIT’s impacts and her role as Founder, Juliette was named Australian Local Hero at the Australia Day awards.
GIVIT partnered with the Road Boss Rally in 2016. Each year this amazing group of people rallies around Australia, spreading the GIVIT word and raising crucial funds to support GIVIT's operations - over $2 million to date!
Strength to strength
The success of GIVIT’s model led to the establishment of a dedicated GIVIT Disaster and Emergency Donation Management service, now in place in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and the ACT in partnership with state governments. During recovery from bushfires, floods, cyclones and storms, GIVIT works with government, local councils and partner charities to get impacted people, families and communities the essential goods and services they need to recover.
In 2018, GIVIT's Drought Relief Program was established to help communities impacted by relentless drought conditions. GIVIT's 'buy local' ethos was an important part of this program, buying essential goods from local retailers in drought-impacted towns to support local economies and local jobs.
An innovative, national not-for-profit
In response to the devastating 2019/2020 Black Summer Bushfires, GIVIT expanded operations nationally, providing over 300,000 goods and services to people who lost their homes across multiple states.
The COVID-19 pandemic changed everyone’s lives in 2020, with many Australians forced to reach out to charities for support for the first time. Throughout the pandemic, GIVIT provided essential items to vulnerable people across the country, including hand sanitiser, face masks and personal protective equipment, groceries, medicine and household goods.
GIVIT has played a crucial role in helping people recover from 2022’s heartbreaking floods that impacted thousands of people across New South Wales and Queensland, as well as other floods, bushfires, cyclones and storms across multiple states.
In addition to disaster recovery, GIVIT helps people impacted by domestic and family violence or homelessness, families struggling with the cost of living, people living with disability, mental ill-health or a physical illness, as well as First Nations Australians and refugees and asylum seekers.
In 2025, GIVIT celebrated our 15th birthday. From an idea created around Juliette’s kitchen table, GIVIT is now one of Australia’s most exciting and innovative not-for-profits, and a critical part of disaster recovery nationally. Thousands of charities and organisations use GIVIT to get the people they’re supporting exactly what they need, when they need it.
Supporting First Nations Australians
Community-led support is critical to GIVIT's First Nations Support Appeal. True to our model, we never assume and always ask what’s needed. We help channel essential items to address social, economic, and environmental inequalities, partnering with communities to improve wellbeing and increase opportunities.
Happy 10th Birthday!
In 2019, GIVIT turned 10 and hit the incredible milestone of one million donations! To top off an exciting decade and a big year, Juliette was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) by The Governor of Queensland, His Excellency the Honourable Paul De Jersey Ac, for service to the community through charitable initiatives.
National expansion
In 2020 GIVIT expanded operations nationally, responding to the devastating Black Summer Bushfires that sadly took lives and destroyed homes. GIVIT was called upon to help those struggling with the additional loss of household and personal essentials. Once again, GIVIT stepped up, making a difference and giving some hope to individuals, families, and communities in tough times.
The tragic and unprecedented impacts of COVID-19 were felt heavily in 2020, with thousands of residents finding themselves in unexpected and urgent need of support. Through this pandemic, GIVIT has been working with federal and state governments, as well as our national charity network, to ensure people and communities impacted by COVID-19 have access to essential items.
GIVIT’s commitment to supporting community recovery was once again called upon when devastating floods impacted large parts of New South Wales in early 2021. GIVIT is committed to providing the support required for the long-term recovery of this heartbreaking event.
From an idea discussed around the kitchen table, GIVIT is now a critical player in disaster recovery and an essential resource for thousands of charities and community organisations. As a result, more Australians get more of the help they need when they need it.
GIVIT has become the smart way to give.