Hearts moved by homeless stories

EARLIER this month council in partnership with Anchor Inc and Dandenong Ranges Emergency Relief Service held a sleep out at Melba Park in Lilydale to raise funds and awareness about homelessness.
It was the first time we have undertaken an event like this. Inviting a group of strangers to spend a night under the stars in a park during October was quite a challenge and I have to confess I didn’t know what to expect.
And while about 50 people took part in the actual sleep out, through the efforts of council staff and the staff and volunteers at Anchor Inc and DRERS, many more people were made aware of just how extensive the problem of homelessness is.
Homelessness is something of a hidden problem. After all, how many of us personally know a homeless person?
But, the fact is that many people from all walks of life are homeless and many more people are at risk of becoming homeless.
It is quite sobering to think that a person could become homeless simply as a result of losing a job; becoming seriously ill or having to look after a family member who has an illness.
Just to put it in perspective, it’s worth considering how many pay packets you could forgo before you began to struggle to pay the mortgage or rent, or feed the family?
Council received enormous support from the media in promoting the issue of homelessness. Mail Newspapers’ long-serving journalist Kath Gannaway came to the sleep out and spoke to a number of people.
One young woman – whose first-hand insight about being homeless not only touched people’s hearts, but also reinforced in my mind the need to do more to raise awareness about the plight of homeless people.
While the sleep out has been and gone it is not too late to help support the wonderful work of agencies like Anchor Inc and Dandenong Ranges Emergency Relief Service. With Christmas around the corner now is a perfect time to consider making a donation.
Dandenong Ranges Emergency Relief Service can be contacted on 9754 7777 and Anchor Inc on 9760 6400.