As long-term readers of this blog will remember, I chose Swags for Homeless as the charity to support in my Walk to Kosciuszko in 2010. I was struck by the sheer practicality and ingenuity of this charity. There are many groups trying to do something for homeless people, but some initiatives–like homeless shelters, or promoting social housing–take a long time to implement and simply can’t cater for the inflow of new homeless.
Swags got there in one step, with an inexpensive, well-designed portable bed that gives a homeless person a good sleep, today, even though they are sleeping rough.
I was delighted to hear last week that the founders of Swags for Homeless, Tony and Lisa Clark, were selected as the winners of the Australian Human Rights Commission – Community Organisation award. Below is the press release from Swags about the award.
Mr Clark, who founded Swags for Homeless in 2007, started the non-profit homeless charity in Melbourne when he questioned what was given to street sleeping homeless turned away from shelters. Tony and Lisa Clark designed the emergency relief Backpack Bed, which also received the worlds largest and most prestigious product design award the Red Dot ‘Best of the Best’ in Germany this year.
Backpack Beds are provided to street sleeping homeless turned away from shelters – and are distributed through 139 charities around Australia.
“It’s extremely gratifying to receive this prestigious Human Rights award, however the real acknowledgment we need is from the government in terms of funding. It is against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Charter for the Australian Government to ignore homeless turned away from shelters empty handed. They need to listen to the almost 200 charities screaming about the success of the Backpack Bed program.” said Mr Clark.
Paul Moulds AM (Major) from The Salvation Army says the Backpack Bed has been invaluable to their organisation and used in many of their outreach programs for the homeless.
“It’s a grim reality that many people currently do not have access to safe or affordable housing and are living on the streets,” said Major Moulds.
Across 139 charities approx. 3000 Backpack Beds were distributed in 2011 which Mr Clark says falls well short of the required 21,000 yearly needed to assist homeless across Australia.
“As well as warmth and protection, the Backpack Bed provides the homeless with dignity,” added Mr Clark.
A staggering 16,375 men, women and children will be sleeping on streets across Australia with 2,204 of those in Victoria alone (ABS figures 2006).
“We had to turn away 39 organisations this year pleading for our study proven Backpack Beds due to the lack of funding, it’s heartbreaking.”
Mr Clark says $2.1 million in funding would cover the costs to produce enough Backpack Beds to assist the street sleeping homeless across Australia, which includes $284,000 to cover Victoria.
This year the Backpack Bed also received an Australian International Design Award and the Sydney Powerhouse Museum Design Award for innovation and benefits to its users.
From April 2012, the Clark’s Backpack Bed will be available from 90 retail stores with all proceeds going to support the continued work of Swags for Homeless.
About Swags for Homeless
Swags for Homeless is a national charity with tax deductible status based in Knoxfield, Melbourne.
Swags for Homeless provides free Backpack Beds™ (swags) as an interim crisis measure to street sleeping homeless around Australia. The Backpack Bed is study proven as highly effective for homeless turned away from shelters – improving health, self esteem and most importantly dignity.
Tony Clark (founder of Swags for Homeless) and his wife Lisa invented the world first Backpack Bed™ to save the lives of homeless. The Backpack Bed is a Backpack and Bed in one – an outdoor all weather protection sleeping unit.
The success of the Backpack Bed program now has charities around the world requesting Backpack Beds – including, Germany, Poland, USA and the UK.
Testament to quality, the Backpack Bed™ resides in 2 international museums – including the worlds largest contemporary design museum in Essen, Germany and the PowerHouse Museum in Sydney, Australia.
Thanks for giving “Swags for Homeless” a mention. I had not heard of them until now, but checking their website, goodness me, what an incredibly effective and practical way to help those without a roof over their heads. I’ve made a donation and have emailed the PM. It is incomprehensible that our Fed Govt cannot find a few lousy million needed to ensure the demand for these beds can be supplied.
Indeed Prudence! Here’s a case where an inexpensive elegant partial solution to a problem is ignored byb politicians because they … Gawd knows, but they probably prefer the grand gestures like “A Policy For Homelessness” to a practical solution that admits homelessness will always be with us. Many thanks for the email to the PM.
Well Mr keen this be your greatest achievement walking to the highest mountain in Australian and helping homeless people.
At the time you had your pernicious intellectuals screaming for you to make the losing letters bigger on your T shirts.
I said just get on with it and do the T shirts as a factual design.
Are you loser for walking Mr Keen NO!
Debt jubilee will not help majority of homeless people they already have no job or income, so no financial house will give them a loan anyway.
It’s shame that your debt jubilee will be eventually seen as pernicious intellectual stuff with a free pass for moral hazard and corrupt high debt individuals.
This story is about house prices rather than swags:
http://www.smh.com.au/business/property/houses-to-fall-10-next-year-tell-him-hes-dreaming-20111216-1oyid.html
I checked how the other four “forecasters” mentioned faired in 2011. All predicted good housing price growth for 2011 – in contrast to Steve. So who would you back to be right in 2012. The 4 who got 2011 wrong or the 1 who got 2011 right.
People following the advice of Shane Oliver and others of that ilk will eventually need a swag. As long as they get their commission they will ensure your path to financial ruin.
In Dec 2007 Shane Oliver forecast ASX All Ords to be 7300 at end of 2008. It ended at 3500. Last year he forecast All Ords to end 2011 at 5500:
http://www.investordaily.com/archive/10815.xml
It will need to gain 30% from current 4218 to make his forecast over the next week – unlikely.
I cannot understand why such dills are given print space. The sad part about it is that people’s savings are being eroded by these corrupt/incompetent salesmen while they pocket a steady stream of fees. The superannuation industry in Australia is a paradise for parasites.
My best investment in the last 2 years has been to install solar panels. My investment return is around 15% this year on that small investment and it is likely to improve as power costs are bound to go up. How many financial advisors have told you to install solar panels – mine certainly didn’t. Mine suggested I take heed of Shane Oliver and stay in the share market rather than convert to term deposits, which I considered a prudent move after reading this blog.
Having Steve’s insight I went for the deposits and am up 6%. Those following Shane Oliver and other dills are continuing to go behind.
Nice one Rick. Can you send the links for those other predictions? I enjoy the odd touch of shadenfreude.
Title: My Naive Question
Shouldn’t we short whatever Shane recommended then? How many continuous sigmas will it take for All Ords to hit 5500, considering only 9 trading days are left?