300 Blankets is a not for profit charity providing the caring warmth of friendship and protective warmth of blankets to people experiencing homelessness in Victoria.
We work together with wide a range of support groups and charities to make a significant difference in the lives of the people at risk or experiencing homelessness through our mission of keeping our community warm.
We operate a twice weekly outreach program in the Melbourne CBD and a weekly soup kitchen in the western suburbs of Melbourne. In addition, we are constantly exploring new ways to reach the greater Victorian community. Through working with schools and universities, we have developed educational programs to teach and inspire the wider community to contribute and make a difference.
We pride ourselves on being lean, approachable and focused on impact. We welcome new corporate supporters and volunteers who want to make a difference. Together we can keep our community warm.
The reality of homelessness
The plight of homeless people living on the streets is an issue many think is too complex to address and we are often left feeling helpless as to how we can make a difference. After several visits to emergency accommodation centres and speaking to staff, we uncovered these facts about homelessness:
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Currently there are over 105,000 people experiencing homelessness in Australia, with almost 23,000 people in Victoria alone.
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Homelessness can be caused by abusive households, addictions and mental illness.
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There are many categories of homelessness – people residing with friends and relatives, people in emergency accommodation, and people living rough on the streets.
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Homeless people suffer abuse, psychological illnesses, and are exposed to the physical hardship of living in the cold and rain.
So why 300 Blankets?
We are a charity powered by a growing team of passionate Volunteers. Our Volunteers are have a positive impact on the lives of many people in our community through our Outreach Program in Melbourne’s CBD, and Soul Kitchen Program in Melbourne’s north and west.
Our Blanket Distribution Program sees over 2,500 blankets provided annually to our partner charities and like-minded organisations operating in the homelessness space to ensure we are all equipped with everything we need when we reach people in need.
We are dedicated in sharing our knowledge and experiences with schools, universities, companies and organisations as we wish to inspire future leaders to contribute to the community in a meaningful and positive way.
We are passionate about being a source of friendship in our community as there is no ‘us’ and ‘them’; just one community. Together we can keep our community warm.
