10 years ago Phil Crenigan encouraged me to raise money and awareness for the homeless. The evening of the sleep out people from all walks of life speak up about the events that led them to become homeless and then the loneliness of homelessness.
Up until that point I would not make eye contact with homeless people, let alone hold a conversation, that day changed me forever and since then I always say hello and pass the time of day, and often give food or coffee. My judgement has gone and been replaced with a deep understanding of others who are less fortunate.
Over the years of the sleepout I have listened to many stories of people getting themselves into financial difficulty. The stories are confronting, as they are everyday challenges that can impact anyone. it could be you or I.
Last year we had a number of women with Children who were living in cars, to escape domestic violence. The team at Vinnie’s do an amazing job and really make the difference, creating a safe environment for the family.
The work Vinnies do to help people get back on track is outstanding. People who have lost all their ID through walking out of a unsafe situation, this is incredibly complex as all the agencies need ID, Vinnies don’t just help solve this for an individual, but working in conjunction with the Post office and other organisations to remove the complexity and assist in the best way possible. https://auspost.com.au/receiving/manage-your-mail/po-boxes-and-private-bags/free-po-boxes-for-homeless
This is my 10th Year of fundraising and raising awareness for the homeless. Please support by donating:
https://lnkd.in/deJuPv6n
Angela Lovegrove 