This time last week a young homeless man died in my local area. He was the second in the last month and last winter a thirty five year old woman died as she was camping next to a local lake less than five minutes drive from my house.
I have personally always been moved deeply about poverty most of my life. Despite this I am often moved by the stories of those overseas. I am learning the more I fall in love with my local area through an initiative that we have just started called Secrets in the Bay that the need locally is just as moving, if not more present locally than overseas.
It is a complex problem and many would say there is no need for a person to be homeless in Australia due to the governments programs that are available, but the situations are real and the people’s stories are difficult.
My Mum and Her Twin Sister run two really amazing grassroots programs in our local area, one called the SOUL Soup Patrol and also the House of Hope. SOUL Soup Patrol goes out twice a week serving the local homeless and The House of Hope houses pregnant women off the streets. This week they sent out an opportunity to respond to the situation locally and the response for volunteers has been overwhelming.
One of their facebook posts was viewed over 40,000 times and shared over 500 times. Now what they are needing is for people to donate $77 to buy a swag for the people in our local area to stay warm through the cold of winter.
Here are the details below for people to respond immediately by buying a swag:
Name: Servants of United Love Incorporated
BSB: 036074 Acc: 420774
These donations are tax deductible. Please place the reference “Swags” on your deposit. Please email soulsouppatrol@hotmail.com if you want a receipt for the end of financial year tax deductions emailed to you.
I am realising that there is much need in our world, but often it is easier to ignore what is happening in our own backyard and become enamoured with the glamour of helping someone overseas. I am not saying it is bad, I am just asking that we look who is in our everyday and consider how we can help.
Local seriously is my new black?
Could this be a revolution, I hope so.
