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The Stitch Community: Understanding Stitch’s not-for-profit charity
The Stitch Community: Understanding Stitch’s not-for-profit charity

Learn how Stitch and the Stitch Community/WipeOutLoneliness.org is addressing loneliness and social isolation

Andrew Dowling avatar
Written by Andrew Dowling
Updated over a week ago

Stitch.net is a social enterprise that allows anyone over 50 to enrich their life through companionship, one-on-one connections, activities, group events, and online discussions. The Stitch Community (WipeOutLoneliness.org) is Stitch’s not-for-profit charity that aims to address and prevent loneliness and isolation for those in extreme need.

Through the Stitch Community, we:

  • Raise awareness of the effects of loneliness and isolation on our health

  • Recruit volunteers and raise donations for the community initiatives we run for people in need

  • Help Stitch members understand their positive impact on the lives of other members of the community

An introduction to the Stitch Community

The Stitch Community is a recognized charity eligible for tax-deductible donations in both Australia and the US.

In Australia, the charity is regulated by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), and has been granted Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status in Australia. In the US, the Stitch Community is a registered charity and has been granted tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status by the IRS.

This means any donations to the Community of $2 or more are tax-deductible if you are a resident of either Australia or the US. Donations made by residents of other countries are currently not tax-deductible but we hope to expand our registration to other countries in the future. You can donate to the Stitch Community here.

In Australia, the Stitch Community is classified as a “Public Benevolent Institution,” meaning that the charity can only provide assistance to those in extreme need. In the case of Stitch, that can include members in severe financial distress, or who face challenges such as being extremely isolated, or who have specific mental and physical disabilities.

More details about the Stitch Community’s assistance program, including the application process, can be found here: https://wipeoutloneliness.org/assistance/.

Your donation will provide direct assistance to someone who applies for assistance from Stitch, or will be used to help sustain our Community Enabler Volunteer program. These volunteers are people who assist individual members of Stitch who face barriers that prevent them from fully participating in the community.

Watch the video to discover more about the charity, including why it was established, the societal issues it seeks to address, and who it most benefits.

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