Sleep is inextricably linked to health and wellbeing and for those facing homelessness, it’s hard to come by. Our collaborative initiative SleepSafe has just finished distributing thousands of kits across Australia to those at risk of and experiencing homelessness.
It’s been 4 years since the inception of SleepSafe and although it’s growth and reach has expanded since, the belief in and commitment to providing practical support, care, and dignity to those in crisis has not. At it’s heart, SleepSafe helps Australian’s facing homelessness and hardship to feel worthy, safe, and cared for. Having distributed over 108,000 kits (and counting) we reflect on what it means to have a safe night sleep, and how sleep kits help bring comfort to those in crisis.
We are incredibly excited to have just wrapped up our latest SleepSafe distribution, bringing the total number of distributed kits to over 100,000! That is over 100,000 moments of care, dignity and comfort provided to people in crisis and facing hardship. Without the generosity of Sheridan customers and the day in and day out advocacy of their staff for our SleepSafe collaboration, this impact would not have been possible.
SleepSafe has grown into a national material aid program providing free, high-quality linen and towels to over 550 frontline homelessness services across Australia, distributing over 84,400 kits and counting! But behind these numbers, are teams of people working to support their local community in need, from the Sheridan store staff advocating and raising funds for SleepSafe, to the staff at community organisations handing over kits to vulnerable people they are supporting. Recently, several SleepSafe partners visited their local fundraising Sheridan store to share stories of impact and meet some of the faces behind the program.
As the year draws to a close, it’s been a challenging time for low-income families feeling the pinch as well as those displaced by flooding in VIC and NSW. Local Sheridan stores have been raising awareness and funds so that over 10,500 sleep kits can be distributed to those most vulnerable in their communities. This means SleepSafe is on track to deliver over 40,000 high quality linen and towel Sleep Kits in 2022, bringing comfort, dignity, and support to vulnerable people in crisis.
We are celebrating 3 years of SleepSafe, our material aid program that funds and distributes high quality sheets and towels to frontline organisations and the vulnerable communities they support. Sustained by the efforts of Sheridan staff and the donations of their customers, our SleepSafe initiative has provided dignity and comfort to more than 64,400 vulnerable Australians and invaluable support to the 540 community organisations that assist them.
The incredible support from Sheridan Australia and their generous customers since August 2019 has resulted in over $1 million raised for the SleepSafe program. The latest distributions of more than 20,000 high quality sheets and towels to flood affected regions, Domestic Violence refuges, youth accommodation services, and newly arrived Afghan evacuees, is a testament to this collaborative partnership. Sleep kits are making a real difference for vulnerable Australians and the frontline organisations that support them.
To date, the program has raised more than half a million dollars, which will help over 37,000 vulnerable Australians who are at risk or experiencing homelessness. Read More
Western Sydney Homeless Connect (WSHC)
“It is important to remember that sleep is involved with many physiologic systems such as memory consolidation, control of inflammation, hormone regulation, cardiovascular regulation and many other important functions. Reduced sleep duration has been shown to cause impairments in cognitive and executive function, while poor sleep has been associated with poor mental health.” Dr. Lourdes DelRosso.
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We acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the unceded lands on which our organisation is located and where we conduct our business. We pay our respects to Elders, past and present. StreetSmart is committed to honouring Indigenous peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society.
StreetSmart is an inclusive, respectful, and welcoming workplace that values diversity of expression. We know that members of the LGBTQIA+ community are particularly vulnerable to experiencing homelessness and we partner with organisations that work to support people in need, without discrimination or prejudice.
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