It's in the Bag collection points are now CLOSED

Thank you for helping make Christmas brighter for women and girls. You can still mail your donation or Sponsor a Bag online. 
Image of a woman's handbag and essential items such as period care, shampoo and conditioner to be donated to women in need as part of Share the Dignity's It's in the Bag Christmas campaign

You can still mail your It's in the Bag donation to us!

Delivery Truck Graphic

PO Box 345 Virginia QLD 4014

How it Works

It’s in the Bag is one of Australia’s most loved Christmas appeals, where we encourage everyday Australians to put together Adult, Teen or Mum and Bub bags filled with essential items, and maybe some everyday luxuries and a handwritten note, to donate to someone in need for Christmas.

It's in the Bag Bunnings collection points for 2023 are now closed. Thank you for all your wonderful support helping make Christmas brighter for women and girls waking up in a domestic violence refuge or homeless shelter. Your incredible donations are now being distributed to our 3,000+ charities nationwide by our dedicated volunteers. 

What you can donate

You can pack an adult, teen or mum and bub bag to help someone in need for Christmas. Each bag has a different list of essentials you can find below. 

By putting together an It's in the Bag you're making Christmas brighter for someone in a domestic violence refuge.

Adult Bag

Period Products, Shampoo, Conditioner, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Deodorant (roll-on preferred) & Soap or Body Wash

Optional: extra special items for an adult

Teen Bag

Period Products for small bodies, Shampoo, Conditioner, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Deodorant (roll-on preferred) & Soap or Body Wash

Optional: extra special items for a teen

Please tag bag with a yellow ribbon!

Mum & Bub Bag

Maternity Period Products, Shampoo, Conditioner, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Deodorant (roll-on preferred), Soap or Body Wash, Newborn Nappies, Breast Pads, Baby Shampoo, Baby Soap/Wash, Disposable Nappy Bags, Baby Wipes, Dummy, Nappy Rash Cream

Optional: extra special items for a mum & bub

Please tag bag with a purple ribbon!

Who your donation helps

Every single It's in the Bag donation has the potential to change someone's life.

For Kim, Linda, Helen, Li and Tamara an It's in the Bag donation arrived at the right time to give them some love as they fought through a traumatic time. 

Hear directly from recipients about how just one bag has the power to give someone fleeing domestic violence or experiencing homelessness a little bit of love, a little bit of hope, and the dignity they deserve. 

Hear about the impact from It's in the Bag recipients

Resources

IITB A3 Poster 2023

IITB A3 Poster 2023

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IITB Shopping List

IITB Shopping List

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IITB - 2 checklists

IITB - 2 checklists

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IITB Social Media Tile - Adult Bag Checklist

IITB Social Media Tile - Adult Bag Checklist

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IITB Social Media Tile - Teen Bag Checklist

IITB Social Media Tile - Teen Bag Checklist

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IITB Social Media Tile - Mum & Bub Bag Checklist

IITB Social Media Tile - Mum & Bub Bag Checklist

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IITB Adult Bag Label - Pink

IITB Adult Bag Label - Pink

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IITB Teen Bag Label - Yellow

IITB Teen Bag Label - Yellow

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IITB Mum & Bub Bag Label - Purple

IITB Mum & Bub Bag Label - Purple

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IITB Note Cards

IITB Note Cards

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IITB Visual Essential List

IITB Visual Essential List

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Can't make it to Bunnings?

You can still help someone in need by sponsoring a bag online.

Thank you Bunnings

We are incredibly grateful for Bunnings' support allowing us to have It's in the Bag collection points nationwide. Since we started partnering in 2016 we have collected over 620,000 bags in their stores. 

Thank you for helping us share the dignity, and thank you for helping us ensure every woman and girl spending Christmas in a domestic violence refuge or homeless shelter receives a little bit of hope. 

Bunnings staff and Share the Dignity stand in front of an It's in the Bag collection box filled with It's in the Bag donations

FAQs

When is #ItsInTheBag 2023 and where can I donate?

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#ItsInTheBag is Share the Dignity's annual event where we encourage every day Australians to donate a bag to someone in need for Christmas. The bags are filled with essential items and are distributed to 3,000 Australian charities that have registered with us. 

Collections for 2023 will be open from November 10-26.

If you would still like to donate outside of our collection dates you have two options:

  1. Mail your donation directly to us:
    Share the Dignity
    PO Box 345
    Virginia QLD 4014
  2. Sponsor a bag through our website and we will pack it for you.

Where can I drop off my bags?

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Collection points for #ItsInTheBag are closed and will reopen at Bunnings stores Australia wide from November 10-26 2023.

We are a primarily volunteer-run organisation, and unfortunately do not have the volunteer power to arrange collection outside these times.

You can post your bags to us: Share the Dignity, PO Box 345, Virginia, QLD 4014.

What can't go inside bags/what are prohibited items?

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Unfortunately, we cannot accept these items:

  • Used or open items
  • Pharmaceutical items (including condoms, throat lozenges, medication and vitamins)
  • Food and drinks of any kind (including tea, gum, mints)
  • Sharp objects (including knives, razors and scissors)
  • Loose tampons and pads
  • Used clothing (including bras)

Nail clippers and sewing kits are fine, so long as they are new and unopened.

Please remember:

  • The bag itself needs to be in good condition but can be a pre-loved handbag or backpack
  • All donations must be brand new, still sealed and in their original packaging
  • Separated bulk pack items must be individually sealed
  • All donations must comply with TGA packaging standards 
  • Handmade items must be brand new, not used, (packaged if possible) with a note saying ‘handmade/new by [name]’.

What goes inside Adult bags?

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Essentials for Adult bags

  • Period products (pads, tampons, reusable pads, period-proof underwear and menstrual cups). 
  • Shampoo (full size preferred)
  • Conditioner (full size preferred)
  • Toothbrush
  • Toothpaste
  • Deodorant (roll-on preferred)
  • Soap or body wash

Don't include

  • Used or open items
  • Pharmaceutical items (including condoms, throat lozenges, medication and vitamins)
  • Food and drinks of any kind (including tea, gum, mints)
  • Sharp objects (including razors and scissors)
  • Loose tampons and pads
  • Used clothing (including bras)

Nail clippers and sewing kits are fine, so long as they are new and unopened.

Please remember

  • The bag itself needs to be in good condition but can be a pre-loved handbag or backpack
  • All donations must be brand new, still sealed and in their original packaging
  • Please do not separate out bulk packs
  • All donations must comply with packaging TGA code of practice
  • All handmade items must be brand new and not used

What goes inside Teen bags?

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Essentials for Teen bags

  • Period products suitable for young bodies (pads, tampons, reusable pads, period-proof underwear and menstrual cups).
  • Shampoo (full size preferred)
  • Conditioner (full size preferred)
  • Toothbrush
  • Toothpaste
  • Deodorant (roll-on preferred)
  • Soap or body wash

Unfortunately, we cannot accept these items:

  • Used or open items
  • Pharmaceutical items (including condoms, throat lozenges, medication and vitamins)
  • Food and drinks of any kind (including tea, gum, mints)
  • Sharp objects (including razors and scissors)
  • Loose tampons and pads 
  • Used clothing (including bras)

Nail clippers and sewing kits are fine, so long as they are new and unopened.

Please remember

  • The bag itself needs to be in good condition but can be a pre-loved handbag or backpack
  • All donations must be brand new, still sealed and in their original packaging
  • Please do not separate out bulk packs
  • All donations must comply with packaging TGA code of practice
  • All handmade items must be brand new and not used

What goes inside Mum & bub bags?

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Essentials for Mum & bub bags

  • Period products suitable for mums (Maternity pads)
  • Shampoo (full size preferred)
  • Conditioner (full size preferred)
  • Toothbrush & toothpaste
  • Deodorant (roll-on preferred)
  • Soap or body wash
  • Breast pads
  • Newborn nappies
  • Baby Shampoo & Conditioner
  • Baby soap or wash
  • Disposable nappy bags
  • Baby wipes
  • Dummies
  • Nappy rash cream

Please identify a Mum & bub bag by using a purple bag tag or ribbon

Unfortunately, we cannot accept these items:

  • Used or open items
  • Pharmaceutical items (including condoms, throat lozenges, medication and vitamins)
  • Food and drinks of any kind (including tea, gum, mints)
  • Sharp objects (including razors and scissors)
  • Loose tampons and pads
  • Used clothing (including bras)

Nail clippers and sewing kits are fine, so long as they are new and unopened.

Please remember

  • The bag itself needs to be in good condition but can be a pre-loved handbag or backpack
  • All donations must be brand new, still sealed and in their original packaging
  • Please do not separate out bulk packs
  • All donations must comply with packaging TGA code of practice
  • All handmade items must be brand new and not used

 

I have an open packet/item, can I donate this?

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No. Donations must be brand new, sealed in their original packaging.  

To comply with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) requirements, all period products are required to be brand new, unopened and in their original packaging. 

Handmade items must be unused, in a package with instructions, including where it was made, by who and use of product information. 

Can I donate used or lightly used clothes (including bras)?

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Please don't include these items in your bags. You can reach out to your local charities (like domestic violence refuges) to see if they would like a donation. Find your nearest on Ask Izzy.

I have a lot of bags to donate, what should I do?

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If you have a large donation, you can still take them to Bunnings Stores Australia wide between 10-26 November 2023. Don’t worry, we have our volunteers emptying the large collection boxes multiple times a day so they will fit!

Why do you prefer roll-on deodorant?

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Roll-on deodorant is preferred as it is not able to be misused (for example for chroming). If an aerosol item is included in a donated bag, our volunteers will keep this aside and provide to our charity partner separately.

Are hotel toiletries okay to donate?

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Full-sized items are preferred so they will last longer for the recipient, however, hotel-sized items will still be accepted.

What if I accidentally donate something prohibited?

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Our wonderful volunteers (Sheroes) inspect the bag to ensure all the essentials there. If we come across any prohibited items, they are removed and offered separately to registered charities, if the items are safe for them to accept.

Can someone come and collect bags from us?

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As a predominantly volunteer-based charity, Share the Dignity doesn't have the facilities, resources or Shero-power to organise collections directly.

Do my donations go to someone locally? 

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We do our best to keep donations in the local area where possible. However, as a National Charity we try to distribute donations to those in need. This may mean that where we collect more than what is needed in a state/area, we transport the donations to alternate locations where we have not collected enough.  

I have empty bags or spare items to donate, can I donate them too?

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Absolutely! We can accept empty bags. If you are donating a pre-loved handbag, we ask that it is in great condition, clean and no clear signs of use. 

Feel free to add other brand-new items into the collection bins that can be used for other bags, we are often short on essentials. 

I've missed the collections at Bunnings, what should I do?

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Please post your items to us: Share the Dignity, PO Box 345, Virginia QLD 4014.

As a predominantly volunteer-based charity, Share the Dignity doesn't have the facilities, resources or volunteer power to organise collections directly.

Can I donate reusable items like period undies, menstrual cups and handmade pads?

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Absolutely! They need to be brand new and sealed in their packaging.   

This means for: 

  • Period undies there must be tags on or still in the box 
  • Menstrual cups must be in original packaging (to comply with the Therapeutic Goods Association requirements) and include information on Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) 
  • Reusable pads must be packaged and include 
    • The name/type of the product 
    • Instructions for use 
    • List of products used to create the item 
    • The name and address of the manufacturer  
    • The batch number or serial number for the product contained within the pack 
    • If your product comes in multiple sizes, the size of the unit contained in the pack 

Are bags that are donated checked or looked at before being donated?

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Once collected, all bags are checked by our volunteers (Sheroes) before being taken to the charities. We remove any prohibited items, but where possible bags stay as donated. Removed items are offered separately to registered charities if the items are safe for them to accept.

Can I become a collection point?

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We appreciate you may like to arrange a local collection with your friends, family and extended network. We ask that you please ensure that the bags you have collected are dropped off to your closest Bunnings on or before the last day of the campaign. This will help us to ensure they are collected, sorted and delivered to our charity partners. 

Our volunteers make It's in the Bag possible.

If you have been thinking about volunteering we would love to have you join us! Our volunteers selflessly donate their time to help women, girls and those who menstruate in their community. 

If you're ready to make a difference, sign up to be a volunteer today!