No Limits Perth – a Homelessness Week 2023 Grant Recipient Story
With the support of Lotterywest funding this year Shelter WA are delighted to be able to offer homelessness sector members the opportunity to apply for funding for an event, project or initiative as part of Homelessness Week.
Now in the third and final round of the Shelter WA Homelessness Week 2024 Grant Program we continue to be inspired by the applications that have been received and the enthusiasm shown by applicants so far.
One of the organisations awarded a grant in 2023 was No Limits Perth. We connected with Chairperson Janine Wood and asked her to share a little about why they decided to apply and what the grant funded.
Here is what Janine had to share in response to the questions we asked;
“1. What did you do last year for Homelessness Week?
We managed to collaborate with a number of different organisations that offer different services to our community and held an outreach hub were we provided so many services free of charge to anyone in the community doing it tough. We held three similar events over the week, and word of mouth was extremely powerful so by the last event on Friday we had a absolutely huge turnout.
On the days we had services including RPSCA vets doing pet checks, a doggie wash, a free hairdresser, hot meals provide by Rotary, Arc providing pet food and accessories, and other services providing free sanitary and clothing products, frozen meals, dry food hampers, Positive spin washers and dryers (Fortuna foundations) and also One Voice mobile showers. All in all it was a huge wrap around festival atmosphere. We also had Services Australia which was an opportunity for people to be able to sort out their ID and paperwork on the spot so that they didn’t have to stand in line at Centrelink. We also had a JP there too.
It also helped us to form relationship with people we hadn’t met who actually needed more help – so we were able to link them with long term providers and identify longer term support available.
It also set us up for wanting to do this more – knowing it had such an impact! Marangaroo isn’t a very well known suburb – but we had an amazing turnout and the people that collaborated with us wanted to continue with the partnership.
- Why did you decide to submit an application for the grant program ?
I would honestly encourage anyone to do it!
It’s an opportunity to reach out to the community to people who otherwise wouldn’t come in or would only come in for one service.
It’s the power of working together in collaboration or partnership for the good of others.
- How did you decide what the grant application would focus on and what was the ultimate outcome
The fact we were able to link people in with longer term solutions for their situation and linking people with the right people.
For ongoing partnerships for the people that were collaborating on the day.
The continuation of being able to provide services.
- The theme this year is Homelessness Action Now – what does this mean to you
Let’s all stand together and take action, and address this together ! Let’s not talk about it but do something about it! No more talking!”
