SleepSafe Community partner Micah Projects with SleepSafe kits
Celebrating 6 years of SleepSafe
Our collaborative SleepSafe initiative was dreamed up over 6 years ago when Sheridan started to explore how they could use their business and brand for good. Rewind to September 2019, and the program went live in all Sheridan stores and a few months later the first pilot delivery of Sleep Kits were being received by community partners. That first round of SleepSafe distributed 1,500 kits across 60 organisations. Right now, in the most recent round of SleepSafe, nearly 5,000 kits are making their way to 115 organisations to deliver dignity, comfort and a safe nights rest.
It’s a powerful corporate-charity partnership which has grown along with community demand – and delivers so much more than just sheets and towels. SleepSafe continues to not only provide essential material aid to those without a safe place to call home and facing crisis, but it also strengthens the capacity of grassroots organisations by saving valuable staff time and resources.
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Celebrating local impact across the country
To mark the moment of this anniversary, several Meet and Greets were organised in WA, QLD, VIC, TAS, and NSW where store teams welcomed one of their local SleepSafe community partners. Read more below…
Birkenhead Point Sheridan store staff with Guthrie House staff
The passionate Sheridan team at the Birkenhead Point store are one of the Top 10 fundraising stores nationally, and were thrilled to welcome staff from Guthrie House recently for a Meet and Greet.
Guthrie House is the only service of its kind that provides a safe home and wraparound support for women with babies who are facing homelessness and have a history of alcohol and other drug misuse and involvement in the justice system.
Guthrie House have received close to 500 kits (thanks to the generosity of Birkenhead Point staff and customers) which have provided dignity and comfort to women as they stabilise, reconnect, and rebuild their lives.
The Sheridan team in Geelong welcomed two of their local community partners into the store recently to celebrate the 6th year anniversary of SleepSafe. Staff from the Geelong Zero project (lead by Neami National) and Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative shared how much their team relied on SleepSafe donations to help give both practical and emotional support to those they worked with.
“The impact of being provided with a lovely quality sheet set and a towel when moving into temporary or permanent accommodation provides our community members with dignity, a little luxury during a difficult time, a little respite to their limited financial resources and is a tangible way to show that their community cares.”– Deirdre from Geelong Zero, Neami National
Geelong Sheridan store staff with Geelong Zero, Wathaurong and StreetSmart staff
Launceston Sheridan store staff with Karinya staff
In Launceston, the team welcomed local community partner Karinya Young Women’s Service to the store to learn more about how the kits are used in their service and the kind of difference they make to young people. Karinya were one of the first organisations to benefit from the SleepSafe program and throughout the past 6 years have passed on over 200 kits to young people who are seeking support and facing homelessness.
One of the most special things about SleepSafe is that when customers in Launceston, or Ballarat, or Darwin donate – that generosity helps local organisations and creates a ripple effect of care and support for those facing homelessness in their own community.
The Sheridan store in Mosman, Sydney, had the chance to host a meet and greet with one of their local community partners, Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter. The Mosman teams’ continued advocacy and fundraising efforts, with their generous customers, has resulted in 400 kits being distributed by the shelter staff. These sleep kits have not just saved them huge amounts of time and money but have helped boost the dignity and self worth of women who come to their care with next to nothing.
“Thank you so much for the beautiful sheet sets and towels that Sleepsafe have provided to the Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter, we are so grateful to have some beautiful quality bedding to have for the women in our care” –Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter
Mosman Sheridan store staff with Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter staff
Use the map above to see all SleepSafe community partners and their local fundraising stores.
SleepSafe in action!
Did you know that SleepSafe distributes kits across Australia about 4 times each year? The latest rounds of SleepSafe in June, and September have seen 12,342 sleep kits delivered to organisations across all states and territories. The kits helped bring comfort, dignity and warmth to those facing homelessness, staying in rooming houses, sleeping in crisis accommodation, staying on couches, or moving into new homes.
We often hear from our community partners that being able to hand over a brand new set of sheets and a towel is a chance to connect with people in crisis, and a gateway for further support to be provided. It’s a tangible reminder that they are seen, valued, and cared for.
