The annual winter event, Sydney Homeless Connect, will bring together people who are experiencing homeless or at risk of homelessness with services and support that they need, whether it be a hot meal, a haircut, a medical check or access to an agency that can help them take a step forward.
Last year we asked Sydneysiders to donate a Homeless Care Package filled with the bare essentials to help those who could really use the help this cold winter. Sydneysiders everywhere got on-board to support this cause from individuals, small groups of friends, workplaces, churches, meet-up groups, schools, etc. It was remarkable!
Needless to say, the Homeless Care Packs were a HUGE SUCCESS! Our guests were surprised, grateful and it brought a few tears to their eyes and ours. Those moments of ‘connect’ will be cherished and the outpour of support from the community was simple beautiful!
We’re looking to do it again this year! With more than 3000+ homeless guests from all corners of NSW expected to turnout for the day of Connect, it would be a huge help to offer each of them a small care pack make with love. A Homeless Care Pack could include some of the following:
- Water bottle / juice
- Shampoo/Conditioner
- Soap
- Face wipes
- Wash cloth
- Hand sanitiser
- Cotton swabs
- Chapstick
- Mints/gum
- Toothbrush/ Toothpaste
- Tissues
- Socks
- Comb/hair brush
- Hand lotion
- First aid kit
- Deodorant
- Beanie
- Gloves
- Small torch
- Rain Poncho
- Opal card with a small credit on it
- Breaky bars/Snacks/ Can of tuna and crackers
- Pen + Note pad
- A personal note from you with words of encouragement
A Homeless Care Pack could be made using a reusable shopping bag (like a shopping bag from Coles or Wollies), a canvas tote bag, or a large Ziploc bag. The care packs will be handed out individually to each guest one-by-one as they enter Sydney Town Hall on June 27th. Please create a special Homeless Care Pack that would be useful to both men and women.
The Homeless Care Packs need to be pre-packed and dropped off by June 24th. This year, the Care Pack drop off point is:
Metro Hotel on Pitt
300 Pitt Street
Sydney, NSW 2000
Drop offs can be made at the Metro Hotel from 7am to 9pm, 7 days a week. Please email madi@sydneyhomelessconnect.com for more info.
If you decided to run a Care Pack Donation Drive at your work place or a local school, please let us know by sending in photos and a short description to madi@sydneyhomelessconnect.com
How do we lobby the government to do something to rectify this shameful plight of our own people. If they had the ability or money they could become an Australian refugee to another country just so they could get a roof,over their head. Others come here for a better life.
Our own people with mental health issues, loss of job, unable to afford rents, low income families, single parents, lower their heads in shame begging for money or sleeping in the street, railway stations, parks or wherever they can. Please show me how to help these people. The packs are good but surely our country should bring back the old housing commission scheme.
Im doing this I Melbourne.