52 Lives

Life #48

Request: Basic household items or gift vouchers

This week is a little different. We want to help a small group of homeless men in Newcastle, Australia.

A homeless shelter has been given the rights to a new boarding house, where a few of the men will be able to live. Each man will have his own bedsit unit, which will be absolutely life changing for them. Unfortunately, the bedsits will not be furnished.

The woman managing it all is trying to put together some 'starter packs' for the men with basics such as towels, bed linen, blankets, cutlery, crockery etc. But budgets are tight, and she said the stigma of homelessness sometimes makes it difficult for them to find what they need.

"One of the hardest hurdles we have in this industry is that a lot of people have the perception that homeless people are all drug addicts, don't wash and beg on the streets. The reality of homelessness is that it affects all different kinds of people, from all walks of life."

Some of their stories are tragically sad, and all have been working so hard to get their lives back on track. Let's help to give them a fresh start in their new home, and make the whole experience a very positive and exciting one for them.

Request:

1. New household items for the starter packs - To make the experience an extra special one, I would love to be able to give them some new things to kick off their new lives with. They need towels, bed linen, blankets, crockery, cutlery...all sorts of things. If you would like to buy an item for them, please let me know and I will tell you where to send it.

2. A gift voucher - So they can choose their own household items. Shopping for new things is just not something these men ever get to do. To be given a gift voucher so they can go shopping would mean the world to them. 

We received more than AU$200 in gift cards which will mean these men will be able to go shopping - for some of them, this will be the first time they have ever been able to choose their own things. That is pretty special...and it was made possible by:

Maree, Ann Booth, Kelly Walker, and the other lovely anonymous donors.

Thanks everyone

The case worker who is helping these men said:

"The pleasure they get from picking their own doona cover, the colour of their bath towel and deciding which kitchen utensils to choose is amazing."