Pictured: Pets of The Homeless Australia who help keep vulnerable people and their pets together by alleviating the burden of providing essential pet care during times of hardship
Targeted and collective efforts help us tackle homelessness in 3 diverse ways
We are excited to share that the continued generosity of our monthly donors, those who chipped in to our End of Year Appeal, and philanthropic and corporate partnerships has resulted in a $67,400 funding boost across 16 grassroots organisations. Donations were collected throughout November and December last year, resulting in these grants now helping smaller, grassroots organisations in areas of high need to better support their community facing homelessness. This outcome is a testament to our belief in the power of collective impact and the change that can be created when many people contribute what they can towards a social need.
Once again, our supporters had the opportunity to direct their impact to a specific outcome, enabling us to make a series of grants to tackle different vulnerabilities and responses to homelessness. Our Housing grants are helping set people up for tenancy success after exiting homelessness, creating safe and sustainable homes with all the household essentials. Our Food relief grants are boosting community meals and pantry programs for those going hungry and facing homelessness. And our Pet grants are helping keep pets and people together and cared for by providing medical support and pet inclusive accommodation.
67,400
740
16
Using latest data and indicators of vulnerability and homelessness, we have pooled support into areas with measurably high rates of need.
For example, focusing on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Northern Territory where the rate of homelessness is 11 times the national average, or in WA which has the highest rate of people sleeping in tents and improvised dwellings (23%). We have also pooled funding into regional areas like Swan Hill in VIC, Lockyer Valley in QLD, Tweed in NSW, and the Kimberley in WA. Mapping from the Australian Alliance to End Homelessness and ABS data help identify such areas.
Ending homelessness by setting up new homes with essentials
Moving into and setting up a new home requires a financial investment that people leaving homelessness just can’t afford. Up-front costs of making a house liveable with furniture, bedding, food, and appliances are unavoidable. In addition, grassroots homelessness services struggle to access flexible brokerage that allows them to support households into successful tenancies. Setting up homes with household essentials not only ends homelessness for people in need but helps to prevent debt and a re-experience.
Collective donations have enabled us to provide $21,900 in housing and tenancy support across 4 Capital cities, helping end and prevent homelessness for 26 households.
| Making a Home Grants | State | Grant $ |
| CAAPS Aboriginal Corporation | NT | $5,475.00 |
| Launchpad Youth | NSW | $5,475.00 |
| Noongar Mia Mia | WA | $5,475.00 |
| Quantum Support Services | VIC | $5,475.00 |
| Total | $21,900.00 |
”The lack of financial means to purchase essential household items such as white goods, bedding, blankets/linen, food, and personal hygiene products is a massive barrier for our clients. This financial strain impedes their ability to establish a comfortable and functional home for themselves and their families.
CAAPS Aboriginal Corporation, NT on Larrakia Country
“As some of the most vulnerable people in the area, our Indigenous clients continuously face homelessness, rough sleeping, couch surfing, and racism when applying for housing, and a lack of available social, community or private housing. 100% of our clients enter into housing with no furniture. ”– Noongar Mia Mia in WA (on Wadjuk Country)
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CAPPS Aboriginal Corporation (Website)
“We work with people who have been experiencing homelessness for extended periods of time and often need assistance to establish tenancies when they secure one but there is no available brokerage for us to assist them with certain items. This in turn creates risk to new tenancies as clients may be forced to prioritise self funding certain items over rent. ” – Quantum Support Services in VIC (Naarm)
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Responding to crisis and risk by feeding families and stocking pantries
The numbers of people going hungry and families eating less to get by are skyrocketing. Often food insecurity proceed an experience of homelessness, and changes in housing stability is cited by more than 1 in 4 hungry households in Australia as a factor of their food insecurity. The Hunger Report found that NSW, TAS, and WA had the lowest levels of food security in Australia and that 19% of those seeking help did so from community organisations and food relief programs.
These grants mean more food hampers, grocery vouchers, staples on the community pantry shelf and ongoing community meals for 630 people across 5 states.
| Food Relief Grant Recipients | State | Grant $ |
| Community Action Inc | QLD | $3,500.00 |
| Gran’s Van | TAS | $3,500.00 |
| Lockyer Community Centre | QLD | $3,500.00 |
| Murwillumbah Community Centre | NSW | $3,500.00 |
| Ngarringa Ngurru Aboriginal Corporation | WA | $3,500.00 |
| Swan Hill Neighbourhood House | VIC | $3,500.00 |
| Total | $21,000.00 |
”Thanks so much for your kind and generous support to our service! The funds will go straight into our Emergency Relief program that provides food hampers to people in need. We are a small community centre that relies on donations and people volunteering their time. We have seen a decrease in donations as the rise in cost of living is affecting small businesses and organisations. Your grant comes in at the right time!
Murwillumbah Community Centre
“We have seen approx 250% increase in people seeking food support over the last twelve months and we do not foresee this figure reducing anytime soon due combination of housing and financial crisis many of our community members are experiencing. generous grant. ” – Community Action Inc in QLD (on Gubbi Gubbi Country)
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Gran’s Van (Facebook)
Murwillumbah Community Centre (Website)
“Cost of living pressures have plateaued but not eased. Rent, food, fuel, power, etc have all increased. Some of our clients are living on the street or in their car, while others come to us for support when they simply can’t afford to pay the bills and buy food.” – Gran’s Van in TAS (Lutruwita)
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Caring for pets and people experiencing homelessness
For those sleeping rough, living in their car, couch surfing, or escaping domestic violence, having a pet can be a huge barrier to accessing a safe home. There are overwhelming benefits of pet ownership including, increased wellbeing, feelings of comfort and safety, and providing companionship during the isolating and stressful experiences of homelessness. However support to care for furry friends can be limited and hard to access.
We have granted $24,500 in support across 5 States and 6 organisations to ensure that people and pets are both cared for and supported while they navigate housing insecurity, rough sleeping, and homelessness.
| Pet Care Grant Recipients | State | Grant $ |
| Lucy’s Project | NSW | $3,900.00 |
| Pets of the Homeless | VIC | $5,000.00 |
| Pets in the Park – Caboolture | QLD | $3,900.00 |
| Pets in the Park – Canberra | ACT | $3,900.00 |
| The Women’s Cottage | NSW | $3,900.00 |
| Women’s Safety Services SA | SA | $3,900.00 |
| Total | $24,500.00 |
“Growing numbers of women impacted by domestic violence and very limited options to support women to take their pets with them when they leave. This grant will help cover Pet food, vet care / vaccinations, short term pet stays, transport fees, etc…. basically any relevant costs that support women and children leave violence with their pets.” – The Women’s Cottage (on Dharug Country)
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Pets in the Park Canberra (Facebook)
Pets of the Homeless Australia (Facebook)
“We provide free veterinary services to pets of those who are homeless or at the risk of experiencing homelessness. This much needed funding will help us continue to provide monthly walk in clinics for health checks, free vaccinations/worming/flea prevention, and medication for skin/ear infections and health issues.”
– Pets in the Park Canberra in ACT (on Ngunnawal Country)
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We are continually grateful for those who chip in what they can on a regular basis or give a once-off donation to make these grants possible. The collaboration from philanthropic partners and corporate supporters has once again helped to significantly boost our response to homelessness with these grants.
