Create Hope at your dinner table

WHAT IS HOPE MONTH?

The concept is simple: Invite your friends over for a meal and your friends donate for a seat at your table.

All the money goes to HopeStreet -Urban Compassion, based in inner Sydney providing real hope for the homeless and those living in poverty.

Choose any kind of meal from casual to formal, breakfast lunch or dinner or even High Tea { My favourite }

Register your meal and invite your guests.

Your sharing of food can be as private or public as you wish. Share on Facebook or Twitter or keep your event between your dearest friends.

Hopestreet provides programs that create real and permanent change to the lives of the homeless and marginalised in Sydney's inner city. 

It's your chance to Create Hope at your Dinner Table.

PLAY MY INTERVIEW WITH KEVIN SIMPSON BELOW

ABOUT HOPESTREET

Hopestreet is a grass roots community development that works with people living on the margins of inner city Sydney.

People who are homeless, destitute or living in poverty.

They work at street level where the needs are the greatest.

Empowering people to take control of their own lives rather then just giving handouts.

They help them build independence and advocate for the rights that most of us take for granted.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

1. HOMELESSNESS CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE.
2. HALF OF AUSTRALIA'S HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE WOMEN.
3. 1 IN EVERY 39 CHILDREN IN AUSTRALIA SEEK CRISIS CARE.

Scary facts about your backyard. Where are the Homeless? Homeless people are in all cities and towns in Australia - not just in large cities. Who are the Homeless? Individuals & families living in accommodation which falls below general community standards: Sleep out in Brisbane detrimental to physical and mental well-being no access to personal amenities no security, privacy and autonomy Where do they sleep on the streets and parks squatting in abandoned buildings in a car with friends or extended family emergency accommodation & youth refuges boarding house, caravan park or hotel How many are Homeless? (2006 ABS Census) There are over 104,600 homeless in Australia: Sleeping rough 16,375 Boarding houses 21,596 SAAP (Supported Accommodation Assistance Program) accommodation 19,849 Friends & Relatives 46,856 Justin is real How did they become homeless? Accident at work Family problems - violence, sexual abuse, assault Relationship breakdown Periods of mental illness Gambling addiction Drug and alcohol addiction Unemployment / Financial problems / Eviction Facts Most people on park benches don’t want to be there 30% of street sleeping homeless in Sydney and 16% in Melbourne have sufered hypothermia, frostbite or trenchfoot Some Homeless people are too scared to ask for help Many Homeless are men with kids 44% of Homeless are women UK Study - homeless that sleep rough are 35 times more likely to committ suicide than the general population UK Study - rough sleepers have an average life expectancy of 42 years compared to national average 74 for men and 79 for women Cost of Homelessness People with out basic goods (eg. swags) can be driven to petty crime Some will be forced into sexual exploitation The above often leads to various forms of substance abuse & addiction. All of which promotes a wide array of anti-social behavior . . . involving substantial problems and costs for our community.