Philanthropy

The Off Your Back coat drive runs throughout winter June 1st – August 31st.  

In Australia, more than 116,000 people were estimated to be homeless in Australia (Sensus 2016) and in Victoria alone it is estimated there are 24,000 homeless people. After coming across a man asleep on a park bench on a freezing cold Melbourne night, Toni decided to take the coat off her back and give it to the man. She thought, after-all she was on her way to her warm home.  

From there, OFF YOUR BACK came to life and for over 20 years nearly 150,000 coats have been donated through Victorians generous support via Off Your Back coat drives and through our collection points. The Salvation Army distributes the coats to ensure they get to Victorian’s most in need. OFF YOUR BACK has managed to distribute these coats without one cent. Coat collections & drives with friends, schools, sporting clubs, workplaces and more have helped us facilitate this amazing community effort. 

In 2024, Off Your Back founder Toni Joel was honoured with an Order of Australia medal for her work on this initiative. 

We supply all the information you require to facilitate your coat drive. We simply ask that you drop the coats collected at one of our convenient drop off points or contact us for assistance. We are motivated to expand OFF YOUR BACK and we welcome your support in becoming a collection point. The more collection points we have, the more coats we can distribute to the many people that need them. Recycle your coats and gift them a new life with people who really need them.  

Visit www.offyourback.com.au for more information  

HELP KEEP A HOMELESS PERSON WARM THIS WINTER, by donating your unwanted coats through OFF YOUR BACK.