This month the Complete Parts and @ The Coalface $500 Community Gift goes to a grassroots organisation in Muswellbrook that is not only spreading awareness of homelessness but doing something to help.
Blue Torch started in April last year after local business owner Matty Coonan attended a meeting in Muswellbrook with local homelessness services.
“Apart from not having enough housing, people didn’t know what to do when faced with homelessness or someone experiencing it.
“The idea of Blue Torch is to primarily do two things. One, educate the community and dispel misconceptions around homelessness and enable them to gain their own understanding which creates momentum on its own.
“The other thing is people just don’t know what to do when they become homeless. Often you don’t expect it to happen, so you just don’t know what to do. The idea of Blue Torch is to both educate people about the issue and tell people what to do so if enough people in the community learn the steps to take, anyone could guide someone through homelessness,” said Matty.
According to the Australian Homelessness Monitor 2024, the number of people living rough on the streets, living in cars and in parks increased by 22 per cent in the three years to 2023-24. In NSW, rough sleeping surged by 51 per cent since 2020 primarily driven by an increase in local communities.
“With the grassroots organisation up and running we began exploring ways to help.
“We came up with the Blue Torch Care Pack. They started off being just a standard bag with a sleeping bag, a tent and a torch but we knew we could do better.
“There are about 19 items in the weatherproof bag now; hygiene items including toothbrush, pads and towel, sustenance including a snack and drink bottle, a jumper and beanie, a phone with a sim and solar powered charger, a sleeping bag and a flyer with steps to take when you become homeless,” said Matty.
The care packs aren’t widely available just yet, but some have been distributed with local organisations.
“Those existing charities are distributing them through their channels. We will be partnering with them to supply more bags – they have the strong connections already to people who need the help. Now it’s just about raising the money to put them together.
“Then it’s about how we find the people who need the help and have no phone. They probably go to a pay phone so the next step is also organising a 1800 number that could be redirected to my phone for instance.
“The other concept we’re looking into is having a lockable cabinet. The Denman Men’s Shed is building a steel cabinet big enough to house a care pack so we are in discussions about having the cabinet installed outside a building in town with a key in a lockbox and various organisations will have that code. So, if someone rings at 2am and they have nothing they can be told where to access the bag.
“The more I’m looking at it, domestic violence is a massive contributor to the issue. At least one third of homelessness is directly related to domestic violence so the more I’m looking at it the more I’m seeing this bag could be the solution to someone fleeing a situation.
“There are lots of community minded businesses up here which is good. So many have already jumped on board like Double Picc who are providing free coffee and cake to anyone who needs it with a coupon that also has directions on it for those who need it.
“We often relegate homelessness to charities, but those charities really need the community to help out in some way, they can’t do what they do without our help.
| For more information on Blue Torch head to their Facebook page and hit follow to spread the word. To donate you can deposit directly to Blue Torch: BSB: 211832 Acc: 032545 |
