It started with a casual conversation at a Queensland Philanthropy Week breakfast. A quick recommendation (shout-out to Anna from Woodfordia) led to a sit-down between Matt Shortus from Aussie Helpers and Alison Schutt, co-founder of Stationery Aid. What began as a chance encounter quickly developed into a practical solution for country kids doing it tough.
At Aussie Helpers, our Brekkie in a Bag program works to make sure students in rural and remote areas start the school day with a full stomach. But good food and increased focus are only half the battle when it comes to learning. Alison and the team at Stationery Aid collect, refurbish and pack essential school supplies for kids who would otherwise, and often do, go without.
The shared values and alignment were obvious right away. Stationery Aid had the book packs ready to go, and Aussie Helpers had the established rural school networks and transport logistics to get them into hard-to-reach places.
The next step was a logical one, we joined forces.
Recently, the partnership delivered its first major milestone: Stationery Aid’s very first book packs for 2027 were picked up in Brisbane, taken to the Charleville depot, loaded into one of our trucks and delivered directly to a remote school in northern New South Wales.
“Partnering with Matt and the team at Aussie Helpers to support families and schools living on the land is a natural fit for Stationery Aid. We are delighted to help ease the financial and accessibility burden for families, to assist getting kids ready for school and to help make learning joyful. We also take great pride in making every stationery pack colourful, fun and thoughtfully prepared, so each child feels excited to begin the school year.”
Alison Schutt, Co-founder & CEO, Stationery Aid
When dry and unforgiving conditions, along with rising costs, put heavy pressure on farming families, buying basic school supplies can become a genuine stress. By delivering daily brekkie supplies alongside complete stationery kits in one trip, we are taking a load off parents and making sure country kids walk into the classroom with the exact same tools as everyone else.
It shows what can happen when local charities swap ideas over a morning coffee and get straight to work. As a rural charity in Australia, Aussie Helpers is proud to back Stationery Aid, and we look forward to rolling out many more deliveries together. And thanks for having Matt and Amy at the recent ‘wear fluoro like a highlighter’ lunch, we appreciated the kind words from the stage, and the great experience!
Welcoming Stationery Aid
Aussie Helpers is proud to collaborate with Stationery Aid, helping ensure all students have access to the fundamental tools they need to learn and thrive.
Stationery Aid collects surplus and gently used stationery that would otherwise go to waste, refurbishes it to a high standard, and redistributes it to students and schools experiencing disadvantage. Through this initiative, we’re helping address educational resource inequality while supporting sustainability and the principles of a circular economy across Australia.
Visit Stationery Aid’s website to learn more about the service and great work they do helping our Aussie communities.
