eKourier Oct 2020

CHARITY

HELPING MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE Kennards Self Storage has assisted the Mercy Foundation in making a world of difference to children, women and men who have experienced homelessness. Your support makes our Home in a Box project possible.

Above left: Angela (left) from Bayside Womans Shelter and Sue from Mercy Foundation. Above Right: Leesa, Project Coordinator for Mercy Foundation.

H ome in a Box contains brand new sheets, towels, cookware, kitchenware, a dinner set, glasses and cutlery. Home in a Box helps people set up their home after experiencing long term homeless- ness. The boxes provided by KSS are incredibly strong and ideal for the purpose of transporting the many home wares to the recipients. People experiencing homelessness are usually trying to survive on a very low income and aren’t able to afford the essentials they need to set up a comfortable home. An empty home can reinforce feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness. Housing workers tell us that when a person is placed in housing, feelings quickly turn from elation to anxiety at the thought of how they will manage.

health issues who was sleeping rough for many years. • A woman in her 20’s, couch surfing for four years. • A man in his 60’s with a cognitive disability, homeless for six years since his mother died. We ask services to continue to provide access to support once their clients are in permanent housing, to ensure they can address any challenges that they may face as they rebuild their lives. Thank you for your generous support of this project over many years, it’s helped make an enormous difference to hundreds of people’s lives and its greatly appreciated. Sue Mowbray CEO / Mercy Foundation

“When an offer of housing comes through, it is such a massive relief and extremely exciting. However, that can quickly turn to anxiety. Many of my clients cannot afford to purchase all the essential items needed to start up a new tenancy. Home in a Box provides quality homewares that instantly provide a sense of home, making it a place where they want to spend time. It makes a world of difference”. This year, the Mercy Foundation has had unprecedented demand for Home in a Box. Since January, we have distrib- uted 64 boxes, which is almost double the number sent out in 2019. Recent recipients include: • A mum and three children, homeless for three years due to family violence. • A man in his 40’s with complex mental

21 Kennards Kourier Oct 2020