eKourier Oct 2018

CHARITY

The Mercy Foundation Thanks Kennards

F or the past five years, Kennards Self Storage has generously provided boxes and storage space for the Mercy Founda- tion’s Home in a Box project. Home in a Box provides essential home wares to people moving into permanent housing, after experiencing chronic homelessness. Most people experience homelessness for a brief period of time. People who experience chronic homelessness often have complex needs and have been homeless for more than 12 months. Being homeless makes it impossible to keep personal possessions and setting up a home is difficult on a limited budget. Home in a Box helps people to settle into their new home and start afresh. Home in a Box helps provide a comfort- able, welcoming home. It contains pillows, sheets, towels, doona, a dinner set, glasses, cutlery, fry pan, saucepan, toaster and kettle. This year the Mercy Foundation has delivered 23 Homes in Boxes to 15 women, 7 boxes for children and 7 men.

• A woman in her 60s who had been homeless for five years, sleeping in her car and couch surfing.

children who had been sleeping in a park to escape family violence.

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Below is some feedback from the caseworkers:

People who experi- ence chronic homelessness often have complex needs and have been homeless for more than 12 months.

“Thank you for supporting our client with a Home in Box. She was overwhelmed when she received it, and said she never expected to be able to have ‘such nice stuff’ in her home. She felt really happy and asked me to send her gratitude to you.” “The boxes arrived yesterday and I was able to deliver them to our client who was so happy and excited. She said she can’t remember when she had such nice things.” Caseworkers ensure that people moving into housing are provided with whatever support they need to address any challenges that they may encounter once they are housed. Home in a Box would not be possible without the generous support of our suppliers. The Mercy Foundation is very grateful to Kennards Self Storage for their continued, generous support of this project.

• A young woman who had been homeless for 18 months who was reunited with her young son in housing.

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• A woman in her 50s who had been living in her car for two years.

• A man in his 40s who had been homeless for 10 years.

• A man with an acquired brain injury who had been homeless for 10 years.

Sue Mowbray Mercy Foundation

• A pregnant woman and her three

Recipients include:

17 Kennards Kourier Oct 2018