Yesterday I bought the latest Big Issue - Lily was on the front cover. She's a Sesame Street character who's experiencing homelessness. What struck me was how important it is to talk about and discuss homelessness, not hide it away. Hats off to Sesame Street who seem a lot more adept at discussing the tricky issues of the day than our politicians. During this general election I can't recall too many discussions about our housing and homelessness crisis, it's just not one of the talking points. Why not? There seems to be outrage everywhere you look, yet we don't, as a community, seem outraged that 285,000 people accessed homeless services last year.
It seems that politicians want us to believe that homelessness is the failure of the individual rather than a failure of the system. Yet we know that isn't the case, with a lack of social and public housing, low levels of Newstart, inter-generational poverty, a punitive welfare systems, and the poor care of people exiting the prison, healthcare and state care systems, just a few contributing factors to people's homelessness.
So it's up to us to do something about that. We need to work together, keep talking about homelessness, question our representatives about their plans to tackle these issues, lobby for systemic changes and forward thinking policies, and make sure people are supported when and where they need it... and that's what we are doing through our campaigns and events.
In this newsletter we share news on our latest grants round powered by DineSmart 2018, DineSmart Awards, recent StreetFunder projects and this year we launch CafeSmart@WORK.
'til next time,
Adam, Geeta and Geoff
DineSmart Powers 61 Community Projects
This is Ross, one of the volunteers at Port Anglican Soup Kitchen, one of 61 organisations that have just been funded through DineSmart 2018. If you chipped in $1 or $2 at your favourite restaurant you are helping deliver some critical services and giving life to important projects and programs. The breadth of projects shows how diverse the reasons for, and circumstances of, homelessness are, and how best to respond and support people at a local level.
From November 21st – December 31st, 108 restaurants participated in DineSmart.
Chin Chin Melbourne & Cafe Sydney continued on from last year as our Fundraising Champs and Runners Up. Both venues have now raised close to $150,000. Stalactites came in 3rd and Supernormal were our Best New fundraisers. The impact of this effort cannot be underestimated.
Read all about our results and top restaurant fundraisers here
StreetFunder Supporters Seed Fund A New Book
Becoming a Queen Again is a new book for women experiencing domestic violence, to assist them in securing a safe place to call home, and with their recovery and healing journey. There is little in the way of this type of book - which is not the traditional autobiographical telling of a survivor’s story - but more a self-help book which gives practical and emotional guidance to women experiencing domestic violence.
StreetFunder supporters raised $5,016 to seed fund this project.
"The great result from the StreetSmart campaign means that we can complete Stage One of writing, illustrating, publishing and distributing our book “Becoming a Queen Again”. These funds will allow us to engage a professional author to support our wonderful survivor to turn her journal into a handbook for hope, resilience and recovery. As a result we are well on our way to providing this resource to women in refuges across QLD and IF we can raise the funds - the whole of Australia!" Chris Turner, CEO Sunny Kids
May's StreetFunder Project - Winter Night Shelters
People on low incomes have virtually no housing options. Services they approach will most likely turn them away. A local, crisis response, has been the setting up of temporary winter night shelters, providing a much needed temporary solution and assist with longer term impacts.
That’s why this month we are raising funds to support three Winter Night Shelters in the Yarra Ranges, Sunbury and Bendigo.Find out more and donate.
CafeSmart@WORK - Get Your Workplace Involved
This year we are launching CafeSmart@Work - in the week leading to CafeSmart Day on the Friday 9th August we are asking you to rally your work colleagues to help us raise vital funds for smaller grassroots organisations. This is for everyone who loves a coffee (or 2 or 3!).
From 5-9th August organise a coffee morning event, collect gold coin donations for your office in-house coffee, hold a bake sale and raffle, dress YELLOW and visit a CafeSmart cafe on Friday 9th August! To register your interest and find out more click here
