Feedback from families who attend our Family Haven program in Mooroopna, along with insights gathered during Lighthouse’s 2023 ‘1000 Conversations’ community consultation process, has highlighted that accessing and affording laundry facilities is a significant financial burden for many families.
In response, Lighthouse and our longstanding partner, St Alban’s Anglican Church, have joined forces with Orange Sky Australia to provide timely support.
Orange Sky was established as a free mobile laundry service for people experiencing homelessness. The idea was formed by two 20-year-old mates, Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett, in 2014. The pair installed a couple of washing machines and dryers in the back of their old van and visited parks around Brisbane to wash and dry clothes for free.
What started as an idea to improve hygiene standards and restore dignity to people doing it tough, quickly grew into something much more. Nic and Lucas realised that participants enjoyed the opportunity to chat and connect while their clothes were being washed. It was the conversation and regular connection that had the biggest impact. This connection was helping to combat issues of loneliness, isolation and poor mental health.
The Orange Sky model has evolved significantly over the past 10 years and today thousands of volunteers help to provide access to genuine, non-judgmental conversation while offering a free laundry service. Orange Sky provides an estimated 2,244-plus loads of washing each week to communities in Australia and New Zealand.
With the recent expansion into regional Victoria, the program is now running in Bendigo and Ballarat. The success of Orange Sky’s expansion is built on the partnerships the organisation makes when entering a new community, and this is where Lighthouse and St Alban’s Anglican Church are the perfect fit.
Lighthouse has operated the Family Haven from Mooroopna’s St Alban’s Anglican Church premises (formerly the SPC Ardmona canteen) since 2020. The Family Haven is a prevention and early intervention space for young families and primarily caters for those experiencing complex social, emotional and health issues. Like the Orange Sky model, Lighthouse knows that Family Haven’s success lies in building connections in order to offer genuine and impactful support.
We are delighted to share that the Family Haven will soon be equipped with an Orange Sky pod, which will contain two washers and two dryers. The goal is to have it fully operational by mid-October.
Lighthouse extends our heartfelt thanks to Reverend Simon Robinson and the St Alban’s Anglican Church for their unwavering support of Lighthouse’s work and their dedication to supporting positive outcomes for our community. St Alban’s has generously enabled the installation of this laundry pod on its premises, and we are deeply grateful for the church’s ongoing partnership.
Looking ahead, Lighthouse and Orange Sky are looking at potential options for a second service in Shepparton CBD to help more locals in need.
This partnership will see Orange Sky oversee volunteer recruitment and training, ensuring that the service is delivered effectively and safely. Meanwhile, Lighthouse is actively seeking local funding partners to cover the minimal ongoing costs of power and water for the laundry pod.
Together with St Alban’s Anglican Church, we are thrilled about this collaboration with Orange Sky, and we invite our community to get involved. If you’re interested in volunteering, please visit orangesky.org.au and register for the Shepparton program.
— Amy Robinson, Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project executive officer
Local stats
Greater Shepparton has a higher reported proportion of people experiencing homelessness, 61 people per 10,000, when compared with the Victorian state average of 47 people per 10,000 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021).
