Gippsland’s Biggest PJ Day returned for a fifth year this month, raising funds and awareness for vulnerable children and foster carers across the state.
Organised by A Better Life For Foster Kids, the annual September event encourages people to don their pyjamas in support of the Sale-based charity, which has been supporting vulnerable children and kinship and foster carers since its founding in 2014.
For founder Heather Baird, the event is about more than the funds it raises.
“The awareness is the most important thing — we raise funds, and yes, that is very important. But it’s the awareness that PJ Day brings out for these children,” Ms Baird said.
“It’s nice to know there are people out there that do worry about you and care about you.”
The pyjamas themselves serve as a fitting symbol for foster care, according to Andrew Williamson of Gippsland’s Biggest PJ Day.
“PJs are often a thing of comfort for a kid that might have unfortunately been removed from maternal parents and placed into foster care quite quickly,” he said.
More than 9000 Victorian children and young people are currently living in out-of-home care.
