For the past several years, Wollongong's Alison Covington has helped re-purpose items of value by directing them to Australians who need them most.
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"All year round, there's always something, always somebody in need," she said.
Now, Mrs Covington has been announced as a finalist in the 2020 NSW Women of the Year Awards.
She has been nominated for the 'Business Woman of the Year' category.
Mrs Covington is founder and managing director of online-based not-for-profit service Good360 Australia.
Mrs Covington, 49, founded Good360 Australia because she saw a gap in the market, whereby businesses didn't have a solution to donate surplus brand-new, non-perishable goods to charities and disadvantaged schools.
It was inspired by an American organisation undertaking similar activities.
Since 2015, the Sydney-based organisation has been responsible for businesses donating more than $100 million of goods and matching 10 million items to more than 1500 charities and schools across Australia.
"Growing up and still living in the Illawarra, I have so much pride for the community spirit we have for each other," she said.
"Through Good360, I am able to give back to many of our schools and hard-working not-for-profits."
Mrs Covington said they'd set a national goal of delivering $1 billion worth of goods by 2025.
The first group to benefit from Good360's endeavours was Interchange Illawarra.
Chairperson Susan Wallis said she'd known Mrs Covington since primary school.
"I've been following and supporting Alison in her Good360 journey from the beginning, and we were proud to be charity number one," Ms Wallis said.
"We provide services to people with disabilities and their families, and we have five properties. We have recently taken a huge donation of goods from Harvey Norman, and been able to refurnish, almost head to toe, all of our properties.
"What's that done for us is, we needed new furniture, but because it's been donated by Good360, we haven't had to purchase it.
"That means the money that we would have spent on furniture, we can now put into supporting people with disabilities."
Member for Keira Ryan Park announced Mrs Covington as the Keira Woman of the Year, and then nominated her in the NSW Women of the Year Awards.
"She is an innovator, and social entrepreneur who has a genuine want to help Australians less fortunate," he said.
The public can vote in the awards at www.women.nsw.gov.au/news-and-events/women-of-the-year.
The voting closes on February 14.
The winners will be announced on March 5.
Brendan Crabb
I'm a member of ACM's national property team, covering the Illawarra and South Coast. Based in Albion Park, NSW, I write about exciting, interesting or just downright quirky properties that have been listed for sale, major sales, market trends, auctions and more. One of my favourite aspects of being a journalist is I believe everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?
I'm a member of ACM's national property team, covering the Illawarra and South Coast. Based in Albion Park, NSW, I write about exciting, interesting or just downright quirky properties that have been listed for sale, major sales, market trends, auctions and more. One of my favourite aspects of being a journalist is I believe everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?
