A Dundee not-for-profit organisation, aimed at providing essentials for disadvantaged children, is hoping to expand its service.
Togs for Tots to Teens has suspended referrals and donations for up to four weeks while background work can be done to develop the service.
Jordan Butler, 33, the founder of the initiative, which was set up just four months ago, said: “I’m nervous about pausing the service but unless I do I won’t manage to continue.
“I need to get the foundations built, and I want this to be positive news, not negative.”
She continued: “We recently became a community interest company, which means we can run as a business and make revenue, but all of it has to go back into the cause.
“It allows us to buy things that can’t be donated, like car seats and mattresses, and enables us to become self- sustainable.
“To become a company that is going to be successful and provide more of a service to more people, it needs a business plan.
“We are looking at moving to larger premises in the city, which will have a volunteer donation centre, a Togs shop.
“This is a charity shop where the money raised will go back into the business, a play area and an art and craft space.
“That is about four or five business plans in one go and it all takes time to get started.
“The plan is to make Togs work for more families on more levels.”
Jordan said that, in the four months since it launched, Togs for Tots has helped around 200 children in the city.
She added: “You get so emotionally invested in it.
“I can’t remember what life was like before it.
“We’ve helped around 50 children a month and I’m sure it can only rise.
“A lot of people can’t believe there are that many people in need of help.
“The demand has been so great, which is good and bad news.
“It shows that the service is very much needed in Dundee, but it is there.
“We have serviced an awful lot of people so far but I’m falling behind with the admin side of things.”
She added that she has handed in her notice at work in order to concentrate more on the company.
“My aim is that nobody in Dundee goes without essentials needed to bring up children.
“The workload is growing but that is because the people of Dundee are so willing to help and donate.”
Jordan said that the service will still help people in emergencies, despite the closure.
She said: “We will still be servicing emergency referrals within 24 hours, so anybody who desperately needs things will be sorted out.”