National Homelessness Week 2024: Help us support Aussies doing it tough
It’s not surprising that rising living costs means that many Aussies are feeling the pinch. Rent increased by an average of 8.3% nationally last year, and many regular expenses such as insurance, food, medical costs, and more, have all increased too. For people experiencing homelessness or hardship, this makes it even harder to get back on your feet.
National Homelessness Week (5 – 11 August 2024) raises awareness about homelessness in Australia and is a good time to think about how we can support fellow Aussies who are doing it tough in our local communities.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines homelessness as affecting a person who does not have suitable accommodation alternatives, and their current living arrangement:
is in a dwelling that is inadequate; or
has no tenure, or if their initial tenure is short and not extendable; or
does not allow them to have control of, and access to space for social relations.
Homelessness is estimated to affect more than 122,000 Australians, or one in 200. While factors such as domestic violence, relationship breakdowns, financial difficulty and limited superannuation can make people more vulnerable to homelessness, as the housing affordability crisis worsens, more and more individuals will find themselves facing financial hardship. In 2022, a small research study conducted by NAB showed that one in 10 Australians couldn’t afford $2,000 in an emergency and with the added cost of living pressures in 2024, this number is likely much higher now.
A simple service with a BIG impact
We may not have all the answers for tackling homelessness in Australia, but what Orange Sky can provide is clean laundry, a warm shower and genuine conversation.
Amanda knows firsthand how important a simple conversation can be when you feel like you’re losing hope. Having experienced a rough childhood, mental health struggles, domestic violence, and eventually becoming homeless, Amanda didn’t feel positive about the future.
“I got to a point where I completely gave up hope. I didn’t think there was… I was on the other side. And now I know there is.”
Fortunately Amanda was connected with the services she needed to rebuild her life. Amanda’s NDIS plan, along with support from Orange Sky and access to accommodation provided by Pacific Link Housing, all played a crucial role in helping Amanda regain the hope she’d lost, and transform her future.
She still remembers how meaningful those conversations were when she needed it most.
“The impact of the people that sit here and talk to you, I mean, that was huge… I remember when I used to line up … and I felt really embarrassed. But he just spoke to me the whole time I was here, and he was so kind and so caring, and he didn’t judge me for the situation I was in or what I’d been through or anything I was talking about.”
Amanda’s experience of the kindness and support from the Orange Sky team, made her want to give back. Now a dedicated Orange Sky volunteer, Amanda finds purpose in helping others.
“I never really had anything to be proud of. I never had a sense of purpose. Volunteering and my career now give me that…”.
Amanda’s story highlights the profound impact that organisations like Orange Sky can have on individuals experiencing homelessness, by providing not only practical support – like hot showers and laundry services, but also a sense of connection and belonging.
Together we can make a real difference
Our goal is to create a safe, positive and supportive environment in the communities we serve, but we need your help – now more than ever.
The need is growing, and so are we – please donate today. Each donation, big or small, plays a pivotal role in our ability to help those who need it most.
Find out how you can participate this National Homelessness Week 2024
Your support will help Orange Sky to continue to expand our services and be there for the growing number of Aussies, just like Amanda, experiencing hardship or homelessness.
Keeping the fire burning at Orange Sky this NAIDOC Week
This NAIDOC Week 2024, we honour and acknowledge the theme ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud’. This celebrates the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations culture – with fire symbolising connection to Country, to each other and to the rich tapestry of traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
As the oldest continuing culture on the planet, Australia’s First Nations Peoples have used fire for cultural and land management purposes for millennia. Fire connects its peoples to Country and supports healing of the mind and body. It is used ceremoniously for storytelling and singing and is integral to the knowledge-sharing process.
Much like the mission of Orange Sky, fire brings people together. Connection to Country is a vital aspect of our 13 remote services, spanning across QLD, NT and WA. Each week, local staff don their orange shirts, providing a reliable and open space to connect and yarn together on our six orange chairs.
Our service can be likened to a fire, with its foundations built by our supporters, volunteers and HQ team. Our washing machines act as the fuel that powers our service but the conversations are what truly fan the flame.
Our Program Manager of Remote Services Judith Meiklejohn, reflects on our remote service as a fire that nurtures communities. “We connect directly with all our services at least weekly. It’s about nurturing our teams, assets, partnerships and communities in order for them to continue to burn, establish trust and create sustainable change in their local communities.”
Beyond our shifts, Orange Sky employees will be actively engaging with NAIDOC Week in 2024 by sharing information aimed at educating and fostering personal growth. We will encourage team members to participate in local events, supporting and immersing themselves in the cultural celebrations. Additionally, our First Australians Book Club will feature discussions on “The Dreaming Path,” exploring its themes in depth. Employees will also engage with music, arts, and entertainment related to NAIDOC Week, ensuring a comprehensive and enriching experience that honours, celebrates and keeps the flame alight on the rich heritage of Indigenous Australians.
We acknowledge and celebrate those who keep the flames burning and the cultural heritage that enriches our nation. Through our collective efforts, we can forge a future where the stories, traditions and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are cherished and celebrated, enriching the fabric of the nation with the oldest living culture in the world.
To learn more about our work in remote communities, head to – Orange Sky Remote.
The story behind launching 14 remote laundry services
Six years ago I left a role in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research to work with Orange Sky Australia. The allure of travel was enticing, but more importantly, I sought a role where I could address inequity more tangible and timely change. Across these six years, with the support of Traditional Custodians, partners and the community; we have launched 14 remote laundry services. Here’s the story behind it.
Orange Sky’s first remote service began in Lockhart River in 2017 and in the year following, when I started, funding was received to establish a service on Palm Island. I was initially tasked with establishing a model similar to our metropolitan services. However, it was evident very quickly that changes were needed to suit the remote landscape.
With a public health background, I knew we must consider the social determinants of health, equity, human rights and improved access to deliver an effective and sustainable remote service. Leveraging this knowledge, we got to work establishing a new remote model that was grounded in strong relationships across the community and centred on:
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- Community identified need and common purpose;
- partnerships with local, trusted, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations;
- creation of meaningful employment opportunities and development for local Aboriginal people.
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The first community where we established the new model was Maningrida, to support efforts to reduce rheumatic heart disease. Little did we know at the time about the looming global pandemic.
Despite spending two years navigating the pandemic, we have since applied this model to over a dozen remote services across WA, NT and QLD.
In 2021, I was joined by a small team from Orange Sky to visit nearly 30 remote communities that had previously enquired about using our services with the aim of listening to and learning from the communities to grow our impact. This became an essential springboard to launching many of the services we have today.
The Remote Venture opened our eyes to the reality of laundry facility access for people in these communities. For many Australians living remotely, it’s extremely challenging to access laundry facilities or own a washing machine. Machines are often cost prohibitive to buy, too small to fit blankets, or are lower-quality machines with a limited lifespan. Warranty claims are often not fulfilled and repairs are difficult to obtain due to being a long way from a major centre. Research shows these challenges can ripple into other aspects of life, affecting school attendance, employment, skin health and overall quality of life. This is further evidence to indicate why each query we receive from remote communities relates to improving residents’ health outcomes.
By the end of 2021, we had launched three new services – Wadeye, NT as well as, Bidyadanga and Fitzroy Crossing WA. We also participated in a community public health response in Aurukun alongside government and community-controlled health and environmental health teams.
In 2022, we launched four services across Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia. This included Aurukun, Galiwin’ku, Yakanarra and Yungngora.
Our growth in new remote services saw a huge leap in service innovation – a core aspect of what we do at Orange Sky. We built more robust facilities to withstand harsh weather and water, lower access to technicians, and run off less power. Our Innovation team built the Waru dryer, requiring 80% less electrical energy. This allowed our team to develop a solar energy system which we now use to build new laundry assets including our RV3.0, Remote Trailer, Laundry Pods, and Indoor Laundry services. These changes contribute to reducing our environmental impact while running more reliable services for the community.
2023 brought the launch of a further five new services including Kalgoorlie, Doomadgee, Gapuwiyak, Nganmarriyanga, and Yuendumu. Due to high demand from the community we were also able to support Wadeye with a second van.
2024 saw us land in Mt Isa, Queensland for a two-week public health response to support skin health, alongside several community and health agencies to reach as many people as possible within this period.
14 service launches later, we continue to unfold the essential nature of trust and relationships in everything we do. Each wash and yarn can’t exist without the relationships we’ve built and the trust of our community partners, Traditional Custodians and residents. This is alongside the hard work of our cultural navigators, team members, and supporters.
For 2024 and into the future, Orange Sky Remote will continue to work alongside First Peoples to reduce inequities, drive meaningful change and impact in remote communities where we are needed, by building collaborative relationships and fostering trust.
Access to laundry facilities and a safe connection space is essential for addressing our human needs and partnering with communities is a valuable way to do this. Six years on, I remain passionate and committed to continue providing simple and practical solutions to support important Australian communities and peoples.
Our work in remote communities would not be possible without our incredible local partners. We extend our deepest gratitude to:
Aurukun: RESET
Bidyadanga: Bidyadanga Aboriginal Council
Doomadgee: Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council, North West Hospital and Health Service
Fitzroy Crossing*: Marra Worra Worra
Galiwin’ku: Galiwin’ku Women’s Space Inc.
Gapuwiyak: Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation
Kalgoorlie: Bega Garnbirringu Health Service
Lockhart River: Run by Orange Sky and supported by community
Maningrida: Mala’la Aboriginal Health Service
Nganmarriyanga: Thamarrurr Development Corporation
Palm Island: Run by Orange Sky and supported by community
Wadeye: Thamarrurr Development Corporation
Yakanarra*: Marra Worra Worra
Yuendumu: Central Desert Regional Council
Yungngora*: Marra Worra Worra
Mt Isa (Public Health Response): North-West Hospital and Health Service. We worked alongside other stakeholders such as North West Queensland Indigenous Catholic Care Services, Salvation Army Serenity House, Mount Isa Flexible Learning Centre and Centacare
*These services are now on pause
To learn more about our work in remote communities, head to – Orange Sky Remote.
To be part of the story or to get in touch, reach out to judith@orangesky.org.au.
Envisioning health and social equity. Now more than ever
Orange Sky envisions an Australia where reconciliation is evident in the equitable health and social outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. So, what does that mean? And why is that important to us?
In the context of our work, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples represent one fifth of Australians experiencing homelessness (ABS, 2023). A figure staggeringly disproportionate to a population of 3.4% (ABS, 2021).
To achieve equity we need connection. We need respect. We need action. And we need change. Now more than ever.
Orange Sky supports people from all walks of life with clean clothes, warm showers and genuine conversations. In that, we recognise our unique role when it comes to reconciliation. Not only for the people who use our services but also our volunteers, team members, supporters and partners. In playing our part, we work to collectively build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures, and futures.
Reconciliation Week is observed each year between 27 May to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey— the successful 1967 Referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively. These moments illustrate the arch of progress. How far Australia has come and how far there still is to go.
This week we also reflect on Orange Sky’s reconciliation work – observing our progress and committing to our future goals. In the two years since launching our ‘Innovate’ Reconciliation Action Plan, we have seen progress in key areas:
- Cultural awareness training embedded into employee onboarding
- Providing cultural leave for First Nations team members
- Launching 10 services in remote First Nations communities since 2022
- Supporting employee attendance at key events including National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC
- Embedding meaningful Acknowledgement of Country and storytelling into meetings
- Encouraging robust internal and external conversations in the leadup to the 2023 Voice to Parliament Referendum
But there is still more work to do. Orange Sky is committed to playing our part in improving social and health outcomes in our work, through these key three goals.
- Develop greater opportunities to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees and contractors
- Establish specific metropolitan cultural shifts to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander friends
- Reconsider our Volunteer Strategy for working with and supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
We encourage you to connect, respect and take action this Reconciliation Week. You could do so by attending a Reconciliation Week event, connecting with information about Australia’s shared history and fostering meaningful conversations. We walk alongside our First Nations brothers and sisters in reconciliation, now more than ever.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2023), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experiencing homelessness, ABS Website.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: Census, ABS Website.
Walking the Walk For Orange Sky with Elke
In Australia today, 122,000 people are experiencing homelessness—that’s 1 in every 210 people. At Orange Sky, we’re on a mission to positively connect communities with essential services and genuine conversations—a mission supported by over 1,000 Australians who participated in our Walk The Walk campaign this March. By walking 122km in solidarity, they’ve raised over $300,000 and significantly amplified awareness for the 122,000 Australians doing it tough.
Among these supporters was Elke and her team, ‘The Laundering Love Squad.’ Elke shared why her team were motivated to support Walk The Walk, showing the spirit of unity and collective action. Here’s what Elke had to say…
“We are the Laundering Love Squad, comprising six women aged in our late 40s to almost 70. We’re a formidable force driven by compassion and a strong desire to make a difference. We believe Orange Sky does an incredible job providing mobile shower and laundry facilities for the homeless and at-risk people in our society. Beyond just raising funds, our participation in this initiative is a testament to our belief in the power of community and support.
We recognise the invaluable services Orange Sky provides, not only in meeting basic hygiene needs but also in fostering human connection through everyday conversations. For us, this endeavour goes beyond charity; it’s an opportunity to walk, keep fit and showcase the strength of solidarity among women of all ages. As we lace up our runners and rally together, we carry with us the spirit of empathy and empowerment. By joining forces with Orange Sky, we amplify their message and extend a hand of solidarity to those in need. Through our collective efforts, we strive to spread awareness, inspire change, and most importantly, spread love to those who need it most.”
Reflections from Volunteer Mary-Anne
After the holiday season was hit by devastating natural disasters, Orange Sky staff and volunteers quickly mobilised to support the affected communities in Far North Queensland. Our response included sending mobile laundry vans to Cairns, Mossman and Cooktown, where we supported the communities with 518 loads of laundry, 12 showers and hours of conversation. This was all in addition to our ongoing services in Cairns.
At the heart of our efforts were volunteers like Mary-Anne, who has devoted over seven years to Orange Sky. Her experiences offer a firsthand look at the resilience and strength of communities facing disaster.
“As part of an Orange Sky Emergency Response Team in the aftermath of Cyclone Jasper, Lesley, Tom, Rex and I travelled to Cooktown and set up shift at the Cooktown PCYC to help friends from the Wujal Wujal community and other impacted residents from outlying areas of Cooktown. The following week volunteers Jan and Lauren joined us in Cairns, helping flood affected residents of the Machans Beach community. In both locations we were truly humbled by friends who found positivity in the face of such adversity.
When friends using our service tell you sentiments like …
”I just want to go home”…
”Yeah, now the midgies have started”
“I miss my dogs, they’re my life”
”All my work gear in the shed, it’s gone”
”We couldn’t afford contents insurance”
”I just keep throwing stuff out”
When you see water marks high up on curtains, when you need to add antiseptic to each load, you wash a load twice to remove the mud and when you hang washing out in the sun to try and take out some of the smell – our friends see what our service can provide and they smile and nod; this all takes a little piece of your heart.
There was the shy smile and a quiet thank you, the firm handshake and a nod of thanks, the box of chocolates and a note saying “thank you for helping my community” left propped against the door of our accommodation. The Cooktown local who saw us in the IGA and came over to thank us for coming, a man who bought us coffees, the flood affected resident who had to move out of her house but wanted us to access her water for laundry shifts, the local man who gave us a gift of mangoes and the young father who placed his hand on his chest and said…”From my heart to yours, thank you.”
All of us volunteers were proud to wear the Orange Sky shirts and we all felt so very privileged to be able to help.
-Mary-Anne Cahill, Orange Sky Volunteer.
Reflections from Orange Sky's Mt Isa health response
In addition to supporting people experiencing homelessness and hardship, participation in public health responses and community recovery is an important part of what we do at Orange Sky.
Our Senior Impact Manager of Remote Services Judith Meiklejohn has mobilised a team to improve access to free washing facilities in the Mount Isa community. The initiative is part of a two-week trial to support a public health response for skin health.
Our team has partnered with the North West Hospital and Health Service (NWHHS) skin health team and other local services to improve community wellbeing. We have been offering free access to hot washing and drying facilities as part of prevention activities. While people wait for their washing, the skin health team has been offering free skin check-ups as needed. These activities contribute to a broader national and regional strategy to reduce the incidence of scabies and rheumatic heart disease (RHD).
Since we arrived in Mount Isa with our remote laundry van, equipped with three washing machines and three dryers, we’ve been able to offer a safe space for connection and provide 20 to 30 loads of free washing daily.
“We understand that having clean clothes and bedding is important for wellbeing and that is guiding our work in the Mount Isa community,” said Judith.
“The rising cost of living, overcrowding and sometimes complex housing and social conditions means accessing a washing machine is prohibitive for some. This often has implications for health and wellbeing, particularly skin health, that may lead to conditions such as rheumatic heart disease. We feel really privileged to be here working alongside other organisations to improve access to essential services.”
We’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the local stakeholders we’ve engaged with on the ground…
“Wonderful work you are doing!! Keep it up and I am so pleased that with some exposure you received a strong community response. It makes me happy to see great initiatives like Orange Sky that support our local communities in need. What you’re doing is so very important – thank you”
“What a successful trip. We would like to say a big thank you from our team and residents, it was great to be able to offer the service onsite”
“Thank you for your willingness to be patient and listen to our communities’ needs. My new saying is ‘it won’t happen overnight…but it is happening’!!”
During the response, several team members had the opportunity to participate in the health response including one of Orange Sky’s board members Paula Holden, who shared her own reflection…
“I spent a short time in Mt Isa recently with Orange Sky, providing laundry and hours of endless conversation (and a cheeky dance with a friend at the back of the van). I was overwhelmed by the welcoming people who would happily sit and yarn with us whilst their washing rumbled away in the background; sharing stories of their lives and their families so generously was highlight.
It was evident of the need in the community in providing a mobile service which saw us moving from driveway to driveway. Wash after wash we saw everything from friend’s clothes and bedding to children’s most prized possessions- this even included a very big unicorn!
Working alongside partners and organisations who provide services in town, including Queensland Health, the Orange Sky Mt Isa health response was targeting hygiene through clean washing in response to the region seeing higher than average rates of rheumatic heart disease.
Hearing friend’s personal stories about family members who had experienced the disease first hand and how hard they were working to ensure their children and grandchildren were better able to care for themselves. From my perspective, the magic of these shifts happened though a deep sense of connection. Listening, learning and helping form an understanding from both a cultural and human perspective, I left feeling like we had moments of mutual benefit in helping each other towards shared meaning.” – Paula, Orange Sky Board Member.
We are so proud to be mobilising our bright orange van and providing access to free hot washing facilities in Mt Isa, alongside other health organisations, to support positive health outcomes for community members suffering from skin health concerns.
Washing in Wadeye
Located in the Northern Territory’s Western top end, Wadeye is home to Orange Sky’s fourth remote community service, where we launched our laundry truck in September 2021. For over two years, we have been grateful to support Wadeye’s culturally abundant and diverse community alongside our partner, Thamarrurr Development Corporation (TDC), building impact through free laundry, local employment and local partnerships.
Since 2020, our services in remote communities have grown from three to 13 locations, as a result of the demand for ongoing expansion and longer-term presence. Higher purchasing costs and limited service support mean that it is extremely difficult to access reliable laundry facilities, resulting in increased critical health issues such as scabies, bedsores and Rheumatic Heart Disease. Through providing access to essential health hardware which helps provide clean bedding and clothing, Orange Sky helps to reduce negative health outcomes in these communities.
Our remote services are some of our most utilised in the country, with Wadeye’s wash numbers overtaking those in metro Sydney and Melbourne services, which operate multiple vans at once. To meet the increased demand we set up a second van, which our Remote Program Manager Jude visited last December.
“It’s really valuable to be able to respond to the extraordinary need in Wadeye and to build on our partnership with Thamarrurr Development Corporation (TDC). We have incredible feedback from TDC and the community about the impact created with the van” – Jude, Remote Program Manager.
Our service expansion would not be possible without the ongoing support from our amazing partner employees (from L to R) Sophia, Terese and Gabriella (supervisor) – thank you for keeping our washers turning and conversation flowing in the community!
Pick Up Drop Off Laundry, an Orange Sky Innovation Initiative
From our research and speaking with people doing it tough, we know there are some key barriers that prevent people who are in need of free laundry and connection from using our service. These most notably being distance, accessibility, time commitments and dependants.
Orange Sky is trialling a new service model where we support families who are in motels as emergency accommodation. These motels provide a safe space to sleep but often don’t have access to laundry and connection, which can play an important part in the transition from emergency accommodation back into stable housing.
The new ‘Pick Up, Drop Off’ model will see Orange Sky’s already known and trusted service reimagined – volunteers will attend a location convenient to friends, such as a place of residence, and stay for a chat. This model addresses barriers of travel and time while also ensuring friends can care for dependents in a safe location.
We have been able to pilot this model at a local Brisbane motel thanks to the support of an organisation who houses families temporarily. This organisation is doing incredible work for families who are transitioning to permanent housing, and Orange Sky is delighted to work alongside them to take a load off for residents. Whilst the conversations are flowing, our volunteers split into teams to wash the items at a nearby location and return them to the shift.
By using a local laundromat we can get through large amounts of washing in a short period of time (1.5 hours for 32 loads). This also allows us to scale faster in areas with limited van availability or access.
Shayne who leads our Imagination and Innovation team has already seen the impact that this new service has had on the community. “We have had amazing feedback to date on how this is offering is working from our partner organisations, motel owners and the families themselves.”
He went on to say “The feedback we have had from Motel owners is that it is the night of the week where the families sit, relax and interact. The Orange Sky volunteers play a huge part in that. This is also making a real practical impact for families, who had previously been trying to wash their kids school uniforms in a bathtub” – Shayne, Orange Sky.
Innovation is part of our DNA at Orange Sky and continues to be the driving force behind our five year strategy. Our target is to triple our impact by 2025 whilst exploring new and improved ways to help more people in the community doing it tough. We can’t wait to continue to use the power of innovation to support more friends in need.
Find out more about how Orange Sky uses the power of innovation to help more friends in need
How the power of a conversation brought Cass and Casey together
Do you know that feeling when you meet someone for the first time and you just instantly connect with them? The feeling where you just want to continue speaking with them and learning more about them? Well, that is the exact feeling I got when I met Orange Sky friend Cass out on shift a few months ago.
My name is Casey, and as part of my role in the marketing team here at Orange Sky, I have the pleasure of meeting incredible people – like Cass – out on shift and hearing their stories.
I met Cass on a Wednesday morning on the Sunshine Coast. When I first arrived to shift, Cass was speaking with Jan, one of the volunteers who she regularly chats with. Cass was showing Jan some of her artwork that she had created for The Salvation Army as a gift. Cass was holding a number of stones in her hand that she had delicately painted on that shared the beautiful words of ‘hope’, ‘faith’ and ‘love’. I could see the passion and happiness in Cass’s face as she talked about her artwork. As soon as I entered the conversation, a complete stranger, Cass embraced me with a kind, welcoming smile and began proudly showing me her artwork and explaining the finishing touches she was to make.
As Jan busily began doing loads of laundry and welcoming other friends onto shift, I sat down and chatted with Cass some more. I began to learn that Cass has lived in her van for more than two years. Two years without her children. Two years without her family surrounding her. Two years without a safe and stable place to call home.
As I sat and spoke with Cass, I learned that just recently before she had no option but to move out of her home and begin living in her van, Cass was diagnosed with tonsil cancer and underwent treatment. Cass was so brave to share her story with me, but the thing that astounded me most was Cass’ fun-loving, charismatic and optimistic personality. Although she has overcome many challenges, and still faces many challenges ahead, she was kind, thoughtful and keen for a cheerful conversation full of laughs.
Cass asked me about myself; she wanted to get to know me and couldn’t express her gratitude enough for how much the Orange Sky service and the incredible team of volunteers had supported her whilst she currently finds herself in a really tough situation.
Unfortunately, Cass’s story isn’t unlike many stories I have heard whilst working at Orange Sky. What I love about my job is meeting friends like Cass – seeing their determination and resilience is inspiring. Cass was a hard-working single mum – just like my own beautiful mother – but encountered a few turns of bad luck. As Cass shared with me, she has now found herself in a situation that she never thought she would be in – a story that’s more common than you think.
For Cass, one thing that gets her through and helps her in her dark days is art. Cass hopes to share her love and passion for art with her community. Cass has dreams of creating a mobile art studio from her van – her smile and energy whilst talking about her visions of her art studio was infectious. I just wish I knew how to draw anything other than some shocking stick figures and a weird looking dog! Who knows, maybe Cass can teach me a few things (if she has the patience)…
I connect with Cass regularly. Whenever I am on the Sunshine Coast, I stop by Cass’ shift to check-in and have a laugh. She brightens up the shift and is a joy to be around.
The 2021 Census tells us that 122,000 Australians are experiencing homelessness, but the reality is that so many more people are doing it tough and in need of support. People like Cass who have no other way of having their clothes cleaned, or people who feel isolated or disconnected from their community and come to Orange Sky simply for the connection and conversation provided by our volunteers. People like Cass aren’t a number or a homelessness statistic to us. They are our friends; we get to know them and learn more about them, and be there for them in a simple yet powerful way. I am grateful for my job and the people my role here has allowed me to meet and connect with. It reminds me to be grateful for what I have and to never judge someone based on their situation.
If you want to hear more about Cass’s story, you can watch this video, and if you want to check out some of Cass’s artwork, be sure to follow her on socials @nozones_mobile_art_studio
Find out how you can help positively connect some of the 122,494 Australians doing it tough.