With around 800 people sleeping rough every night in Gold Coast City, homelessness is a very real social issue that requires action from our community.
Two events this week in Gold Coast City are tackling the issue head on, raising awareness and support for those at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness in our community.
Homeless people and those at risk of homelessness have been invited to attend Homeless Connect, held at Metricon Stadium Wednesday 6 August.
Into it’s 5th year, Homeless Connect provides a range of services, goods and entertainment that comes together in one massive day out for our community’s most vulnerable, including health and housing services, dental care, legal advice, counseling services and clothing and food donations. There will even be the opportunity for people to access everyday ‘luxury’ services often taken for granted, such as haircuts and manicures.
Gold Coast City Salvation Army’s Area Manager David Thompson has praised the generosity of Gold Coast City, saying donations from the community are up from last year.
Wednesday 30 July 2014 is the final day to make a donation to the Homeless Connect drive and according to Mr Thompson, donations can be as simple as a warm blanket.
Unsure what to donate? The Homeless Connect team suggest that those experiencing homelessness or risk of homelessness in Gold Coast City could benefit from donations such as toiletries, bath towels and facewashers, clothing and shoes, nappies, tinned food, long-life snacks, blankets and bedding, sleeping bags and swags and bottled water.
Click here to find the list of centres where you can drop your donations
Listen in to ABC Gold Coast Mornings with Nicole Dyer, who will broadcast live from Gold Coast City Homeless Connect next Wednesday.
Our local AFL heroes, the Gold Coast Suns, are on board again this year with Homeless Connect, through their Horizons Program, which aims to raise awareness about homelessness and housing crisis.
In addition to the Suns donating their time to Homeless Connect, they will also host the second annual Homeless Sleepout on Saturday 9 August at their home grounds of Metricon Stadium.
Partnering with the Gold Coast Youth Service, Gold Coast Project for Homeless Youth Inc. and YHES House, the sleepout event will help raise funds and awareness and grow our social responsibility for homelessness, with guests sleeping ‘rough’, under the stars of Gold Coast City.
There’ll also be live music, movies for kids and adults, showing of Carlton vs. Gold Coast Suns game from Etihad Stadium, raffles, silent auctions and dinner from a soup kitchen, donated by Amore Di Cucina.
To be a part of the Gold Coast Suns Homeless Sleepout, visit their website
To find out more about Gold Coast City Homeless Connect, visit their Facebook page
Dig deep Gold Coast City and help both Homeless Connect and Gold Coast Suns Homeless Sleepout work to eliminate homelessness in our community.
