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When Nic and Lucas fitted out the first van with washers and dryers back in 2014, they never could have imagined the incredible impact that Orange Sky would have on countless Australians experiencing homelessness. The Sudsy Challenge is our annual fundraising initiative and was created so more everyday Aussies could get involved in our mission to ‘positively connect communities’.

Who is Sudsy, you ask?

‘Sudsy’ is Orange Sky’s first mobile laundry van, which was built in a Brisbane garage by Co-Founders, Nic and Lucas, at the age of 20. It took three days – and three sets of washing machines – to get the first van working and operational, which inspired the three-day Sudsy Challenge. 

The Sudsy Challenge is back in 2022 to raise much needed funds and awareness for Orange Sky. We challenge you to wear the same clothes for three days in a row, sparking conversations about homelessness in Australia and the importance of providing access to free laundry, warm showers, and genuine connection for our friends doing it tough. 

With more Sudsy Challengers on board, our ability to provide friends with a safe space to access our services increases. We want to see as many Orange Sky vans driving around the country as possible, fitted out with washing machines, dryers and six orange chairs – so we need your help! 

The Sudsy Challenge is more than just repeating an outfit. It’s about educating people on the current state of homlessness, and helping to wash away some of the stigmas surrounding homelessness. It is about creating a safe and positive environment for people who feel disconnected from their community. This September, we’re asking you not to change clothes. Instead, wear the same outfit for three days and help change the lives of our friends doing it tough.

We encourage you to get creative when rocking your Sudsy t-shirt, and we can’t wait to see what you get up to in your orange kit. Remember, conversation and connection underpins what we do at Orange Sky, so don’t be afraid to have some life-changing chats.

Talk to your community about why you’ve chosen to take on the challenge. Share your #SudsyChallenge experience with your Instagram or Facebook followers, or even vlog your day in the orange for Tiktok! Whatever your style is, we’re excited to see how you get the word out. 

When you take on The Sudsy Challenge, you’re committing to much more than just wearing a t-shirt for three days. You’re contributing to a nation-wide movement to start the conversation about homelessness, so we can continue to provide support to Aussies doing it tough. 

It’s a Port Macquarie shift in 2020. Over the buzz of washing machines, you hear the laughter of Donna’s captivated audience as she shares one of her well-known tales of hardship. Sitting on an orange chair, she is retelling a story of her childhood with comedic flare, trying to encourage her sister, Dee [a fellow Orange Sky volunteer] to join in. That was the special thing about Donna, she understood the light and shade of hardship. She knew how to create a safe space for people doing it tough to feel like they belong.

A passionate mid North Coast volunteer, Donna had an undeniable knack for connecting with friends. Donna was not unfamiliar with hardship, experiencing homelessness herself at points throughout her life. Her lived experience made her unafraid to look grief and suffering in the eye, whilst always finding laughter amidst pain.

In 2021, Donna’s health deteriorated. She fought her illness, continued to volunteer and kept her same vibrant attitude right till the end. Orange Sky is immeasurably grateful to Donna for choosing to spend her precious time donning an orange shirt and supporting the Port Macquarie community. Donna’s kindness continued by donating a gift in her estate to Orange Sky. We want to acknowledge the extent of Donna’s support of Orange Sky during and after her life.

In many ways, Donna’s life trajectory changed at the time she decided to become an Orange Sky volunteer. Over the years Donna’s ambitions hadn’t always come to fruition. Challenging life experiences and neurodivergence often impacted Donna’s attempts at a fair go. Seeking a fulfilling gateway back into the workforce, Donna learned about Orange Sky and signed up as a Port Macquarie vollie.

Original comment from Donna’s application (4th Aug 2018):

“I love talking to people! I love telling them stories to make them smile and have plenty of empathy as I was in a similar situation many years ago!”

Donna was out on shift soon after and became a well known and dedicated part of the Port Macquarie team, alongside her sister Dee who was already volunteering. There is no better depiction of Donna’s style of volunteering than her application. Donna’s storytelling, laughter and empathy became an important part of every shift and something that friends looked forward to. 

“Once Donna got the taste of giving back, she ran with it,” said Dee. Donna said yes to every volunteering opportunity Orange Sky had. She attended most shifts and formed connections everywhere she went. Donna’s confidence and wellbeing continued to improve as she began a TAFE course in counselling. A lifelong dream of hers. 

Donna’s health battles became life threatening in 2021, while her professional and personal trajectory was at a point of great pride. Donna’s mother, Susie, vividly recalls her seeing an Orange Sky shift request and, despite being in palliative care at the time, desperately asked to be the one to fill it.  “Do you think I could do it?” she pleaded. 

Donna’s legacy reminds us that we all deserve chances to get back on our feet and a place to belong. Orange Sky is so grateful to have been an outlet for Donna’s kindness. Each volunteer brings a different perspective and story to the tapestry of Orange Sky. Thanks to Donna Sturgess’ patch, the entire Orange Sky tapestry is much brighter.

Thank you to Donna’s mother, Susie and sister, Dee for kindly sharing about Donna and cultivating these words. Our hearts go out to Donna’s loved ones and the Port Macquarie community of friends and Orange Sky volunteers that meant so much to Donna, as Donna means to them.

People have an idea in their head of what a person who’s experiencing homelessness looks like. We may reject the thought of ourselves reflected in this stereotype. Although the sad reality is that many Australians are struggling to make ends meet. With the rising cost of living, the impacts of COVID and the rental crisis, people who never expected to struggle are finding themselves in challenging situations. Although I have been very fortunate in my life, I can think of so many times where one or two changes in my personal life have pushed me to places I never thought I would be. 

My family moved to Australia from Zimbabwe/Botswana when I was twelve years old. My parents sacrificed a lot, including almost all of their life savings, to move my family here and give us a better life and opportunities. Although I was pretty oblivious at the time, I know that there were periods where my family struggled financially. If it weren’t for our family in Australia, the Zimbabwean community and the friends we made along the way, our situation could have been very different.

Dani is pictured below fourth from left in polkadots.

I think back to the Brisbane floods in 2011. My rental lease was up and the market couldn’t keep up with demand. As a full-time student with a part-time job, I simply couldn’t afford the inflated rental prices. I packed everything I owned into boxes and loaded them into my car. I had no place to live. If it weren’t for my friends who let me sleep on their floors and couches, who called their friends to see if anyone had a place for me to live, and who kept me positive and hopeful – my circumstances and the outcome could have been very different. 

In 2015, I found myself at the end of a long-term relationship. The bills that I was so easily able to pay half of had suddenly doubled. I had also recently left what I thought was my long-term career to go back to uni, and taken a much lower paying job. My savings ran dry and my mental health was at an all-time low. Thankfully, my support network of family, friends and co-workers helped me get back on my feet, get my mental health to a better place, find a new job and find a more affordable place to live. Without my support network, my fresh start could have turned into a very different reality.

Each of these times in my life, it has been the support and generosity of my community, my friends, my family, my workplace and my co-workers that has been the difference between having a home and potentially becoming homeless. I think everyone knows what it feels like to face the unknown or to be unsure if things are going to work out. You don’t have to have ‘experienced homelessness’ to know what it’s like to struggle or to feel lonely. 

The reality of financial insecurity is being felt across households nationwide. Last year one in two Australians had to change their living circumstances due to rising living costs. I have been that person and I know the difference that a supportive, loving, positive community can make. Orange Sky may not be able to change people’s circumstances, but what we can do is make sure that they have access to a safe and welcoming place to share their challenges and to feel like they belong.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a proud history of getting up, standing up, and showing up. As an organisation that brings together thousands of Australians from all walks of life, Orange Sky acknowledges our responsibility to celebrate and show up for First Peoples within our community.

Orange Sky benefits from the voices and commitments of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples each and every day (including Veronica Yanawana (VY), one of our incredible team members in Bidyadanga pictured below). This NAIDOC Week, we reflect on our past, present and future commitments, and celebrate the important First Nations leaders who have been crucial to our journey. From friends and volunteers to our staff and supporters; Orange Sky is passionate about playing our part to Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!.

Prioritising reconciliation in our operations and enriched within our culture and policies. 

In May 2022, Orange Sky launched our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). This Innovate RAP is a mechanism for Orange Sky to #GetUp – prioritising reconciliation, not only in our operations but also enriched within our culture and policies. 

We recognise the tireless contributions of our RAP Working Group, and in particular, the cultural perspectives and knowledgeable voices of Racheal Higgins, Richard Cassady, Caleb Cassady, Leon Designs and Rhoda Tjitayi. 

Connect with Orange Sky’s Innovate RAP here.  

Improving equitable access to laundry services and employment in remote First Nations communities. 

Currently, 20% (eight services) of our Australian operations are in remote communities, aiming to bridge challenges with laundry access and costs. Our remote services include: QLD (Lockhart River, Palm Island, Aurukun), NT (Maningrida, Wadeye), and WA (Fitzroy Crossing, Bidyadanga, Yungngora). 

These remote services are made possible by some incredible local service partners such as Malal’a Health Service Aboriginal Corporation, Thamarrurr Development Corporation, Marra Worra Worra and Bidyadanga Aboriginal Community La Grange Inc. Our partners support paid employment opportunities for local people working on the Orange Sky van. Currently, Orange Sky creates ≈15 employment opportunities for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples in remote communities.

This includes legends like Gary (pictured, left) and Linton (right) who provide their community with access to laundry services in Maningrida NT, VY in Bidyadanga WA, and Thelma and Irene in Lockhart River QLD. 

Explore the remote communities we operate in here. 

Creating safe and respectful spaces for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander friends to connect on orange chairs. 

In the context of our work, we recognise the disproportionate rates of homelessness for First Nations peoples, particularly in remote communities. As we continue growing our social impact in an effort to support 40,000 friends by 2025, we acknowledge the importance of each orange chair that our friends sit on and each conversation we have. We are committed to creating safe, respectful and inclusive spaces to positively connect communities. 

Tonight, over 116,000 Australians will be without a safe place to call home. Though, many more are isolated from their community, and in need of support and connection. 

Orange Sky is much more than free laundry and showers. We are a connection space for anyone experiencing homelessness or doing it tough. 

Each day, Orange Sky volunteers -like Mark – are there to provide a safe space to connect with our friends, no matter the circumstances. 

The word ‘reconcile’ is a verb meaning ‘to heal relations with a person or group’.

This year’s National Reconciliation Week theme acknowledges the active nature of the word, encouraging us to Be Brave as we tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation, so we can Make Change for the benefit of all Australians.

Recently, Orange Sky announced the development of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Racheal Higgins is a pivotal member of Orange Sky’s RAP Working Group who developed the plan. Racheal is a proud Zenadth Kes woman and, among many other things, is an Orange Sky volunteer in Brisbane. You can read more about Racheal’s story here. 

Racheal told us what reconciliation means to her. “Reconciliation is about listening to one another’s perspectives, proactively educating ourselves and others and having the empathy to walk in someone else’s shoes,” she said.

To Racheal, truth-telling is a crucial instrument of reconciliation.

“We must acknowledge and accept the historical atrocities that have occurred and the resulting impact on First Nations peoples to provide a pathway toward healing and positively moving forward into the future.”

Rachel is pictured (on the right) with kids, Lily and Zane. 

In the context of our work, homelessness disproportionately impacts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Orange Sky recognises our responsibility to provide equitable access to our services for our First Nations friends doing it tough, as well as strengthening our commitment towards a reconciled Australia in all that we do. 

Orange Sky Board Member, Paula Holden shared with us the ongoing importance of reconciliation in our work. “Seeing people for who they are and building connection is at the heart of Orange Sky and is also the essence of reconciliation,” Paula said. “For Orange Sky to serve our community and operationalise our values, reconciliation must be at the forefront.”

Orange Sky is strengthened by the voices and contributions of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander friends, staff, volunteers, partners and supporters. Our work in remote communities began in Lockhart River in 2017, with regular shifts now operating in seven remote communities across Australia. 

Paula noted that remote service expansion cannot be rushed, “forming localised relationships that are founded in cultural respect and patience.” Though she acknowledged that more needs to be done; “At a board level, we need better First Nations representation”. 

Orange Sky recently launched our RAP to solidify our commitment to working alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to improve health and social outcomes and address inequities. As an organisation that brings together thousands of Australians from all walks of life every week, we recognise our obligation to prioritise reconciliation in all that we do, and acknowledge there is much more work to be done.

Racheal’s hope is for an Australia that is brave enough to own up to its biases and stand against racism. “I’d like to see my future grandchildren and all other Indigenous children not be burdened by racism and the stigma that still surrounds being a First Nations person in this country.”

To learn more about Orange Sky’s commitment to reconciliation, connect with our Reconciliation Action Plan.

I learned about Orange Sky during a conversation over our family dinner table. My brother had come home from school beaming after hearing about a laundry and connection service for people doing it tough. He told me about the two young speakers – Nic and Lucas – who spoke to his school. Looking back, it’s fitting that a special conversation was the way that I learned about Orange Sky. After volunteering for four years and becoming part of the head office team over the past year; I’ve learned that ‘conversation’ is what it’s all about. 

I had just graduated high school when my brother told me about Orange Sky’s work. At that time, I was seeking something that would push me out of my comfort zone. I’d always been quite reserved and played it safe, but I was looking for a new opportunity. Something that would improve my mental health and actively help people.

When I registered for Orange Sky, I loved the flexibility and array of shifts I could join. I was leading a pretty busy lifestyle, so the Fortitude Valley morning shift worked really well. What I quickly learned was that the laundry service was merely a footnote of an Orange Sky shift; the main aspect is the sense of community. Whether that be conversations happening on the semi circle of orange chairs, or people standing together chatting over a warm breakfast and cuppa. Others may be sitting alone or reading a book. What I saw was people from all walks of life, enjoying time in each other’s company in a safe space.

Four years into my volunteering, I’m now lucky enough to work in the Head Office Team in operations. Also, I get to visit schools, and talk to kids about homelessness and the work that Orange Sky does. Given the impact the school talk had on my brother and my life, this is particularly special to me. Now, I get the chance to learn from and share with young minds about such an important aspect of our community. 

From these school presentations, I’ve learned more about the stigmas of homelessness. At the start of each talk I ask kids to share words they associate with homelessness. Most often, I hear “dangerous”, “dirty”, “scary”, or “alcohol”. When I explain that these are people like us, who didn’t have the same support networks, or that tough instances occurred that changed the shape of their lives; the kids respond so well. By the end of a talk, often children are sharing how wrong it is that people have to be in this situation. Other kids ask me how to sign up to volunteer. It’s so heartwarming. 

What I’ve learned during my time with Orange Sky is that there are some very inaccurate and heartless stereotypes that exist around homelessness. I understand as I had these same stigmas. Fortunately they were quickly reversed since joining Orange Sky. Now, I see the importance of reconnecting people in the community and the power of a conversation.