Rotary delivers winter warmth to people sleeping rough

Rotary Central Melbourne has delivered 228 winter-grade sleeping bags to help people experiencing homelessness stay warmer and safer during the colder months.

The club once again partnered with two frontline homelessness support organisations, Youth Projects in Melbourne’s CBD and St Mary’s House of Welcome in Fitzroy, to distribute the sleeping bags to people sleeping rough across the city and inner north.

Both organisations provide a wide range of services to people experiencing homelessness, including those sleeping rough in the CBD, Fitzroy and Collingwood.

As temperatures fall and demand for support continues to rise, access to warm, good-quality sleeping bags becomes increasingly important for people without secure shelter.

Rotary Central Melbourne initially set a goal of collecting and distributing at least 170 winter-grade sleeping bags before winter.

Funding was raised through the generosity of Rotary members, their families, friends and corporate supporters. These contributions were then matched dollar-for-dollar through a Rotary Foundation grant, allowing the club to significantly increase the impact of its fundraising.

The Rotary Foundation’s grant program enables donations raised by Rotary clubs to be reinvested into eligible community and humanitarian projects, helping local clubs multiply the value of their work.

Thanks to the support received, Rotary Central Melbourne exceeded its target, collecting and distributing 228 sleeping bags.

For Rotary members, each sleeping bag represents practical help for someone facing winter without a safe place to sleep.

Rotary Central Melbourne is one of several Rotary clubs serving Melbourne’s CBD and inner suburbs. Its volunteers contribute their time, skills and resources to strengthen local communities and support people in need, both locally and around the world.