Community day brings awareness for National Homlessness Week

The 43-year-old woman remembers what the experience was like when she was living in Armidale eight years ago.

"You just don't know where you're at and it's scary too," she said.

"You don't know if you're going to be in a safe place or not if you don't get the emergency accommodations.

"There were times that I slept under the bridge [or] slept in the park."

Ms Morris remembers changing her appearance to make sure she wasn't treated the same way she saw other homeless persons be treated.

"I did the best I could, kept myself [looking] clean," she said.

"People treat you different...like they think you're just scum."

It's this kind of stigma that local services are trying to change with the Kempsey Housing Partnership group organising a community day on Tuesday (August 8) outside the All-Saints Anglican church.

The group is made up of local services including Community Housing Limited (CHL), YPS Space MNC, New Horizons, Neami National Mid North Coast, and the Kempsey Neighbourhood Centre.

CHL housing options and support manager Rennay Miller said the community day which occurred during National Homelessness Week, was to raise awareness on and distigmatise homelessness in the community.

"We've got a variety of services that are actually here today that all support people at risk or currently experiencing homelessness," she said.

"It's a growing crisis for people.

"Not only shelter...but food is a problem for people as well."

The number of people seeking help from specialist homelessness services has risen in Australia with social housing waiting list figures for the Mid North Coast growing by 15 per cent as of June 2022.

"I think the trends are written all over the news," Ms Miller said.

"And we can see it everyday with rents increasing, the cost of living increasing.

"So we're just trying to provide outreach to as many of the communities across our region at the moment."

The community day allowed services from across the Kempsey Shire area to show attendees the resources available as well as provide activities and goods at their stalls.

YPS Space MNC were providing blankets donated by Gold Coast knitting group 'Yarns and Yarns' while the Kempsey Neighbourhood Centre was handing out clean bed sheets to visitors.

Animal Rescue Cooperative (ARC) also attended the event with free dog food available at their stall.

"People often feed their animals before they feed themselves," ARC Mid North Coast Hub leader Donna Shears said.

Ms Morris said that the community day was brilliant.

"This is really good," she said

"It really shows our community is ready to start with our homeless people."

"I get something out of it seeing our community joining in and helping."

Ms Morris has been living in a property now for three years but credits specialist employment service Real Futures, and Neami National, one of the services at the community day, for helping her find a home.

"It's hard to explain- it's like they were sent by my guardian angels," she said.

"If it weren't for Neami, I'd probably be homeless."

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