Next year Charlotte hopes to study law/journalism at university. She currently studies three English subjects, has done debating since Grade 7, and loves to play the flute.
Have you ever not showered and worn the same clothes for three days straight in Australian heat?
This September over a thousand people across Australia and New Zealand have done just that in support of our friends doing it tough on the streets.
For the seventh consecutive year, Brisbane-based charity Orange Sky Laundry has held its annual Sudsy Challenge during September, with participants keeping their kits on for three days to raise funds and awareness for people experiencing homelessness.
Local schools, workplaces, and broadcasting services have taken part in the challenge, seeking to raise awareness in a society where homelessness rates only continue to rise.
In September 2024, there were 330 rough sleepers in Brisbane, up from 259 one year previously according to homelessness alliance Brisbane Zero.
It is imperative that communities continue to acknowledge the importance of amazing initiatives such as the Sudsy Challenge, which creatively spread awareness across a wide demographic of people in not only Brisbane, but around the world.
The Orange Sky mission is to positively connect communities through free laundry, showers and conversation and its annual Sudsy Challenge amplifies this work.
Kristanna Sutton, Campaign Manager at Orange Sky Australia discussed the simple significance of the event.
“The Sudsy Challenge is all about wearing a bright orange shirt to raise funds for Orange Sky, but more importantly it’s about starting conversations,” Ms Sutton said.
Emphasising not just the practical benefits but also the underlying societal significance of the event and Orange Sky’s broader purpose, she stressed: “Every conversation you have helps wash away stigmas around homelessness in Australia.”
Ms Sutton followed this by expressing her thanks on behalf of Orange Sky for the communities’ unending support.
The Sudsy Challenge is an effective and integral reminder for all members of the wider Brisbane community to stop and place themselves in the shoes of someone experiencing homelessness; someone who hasn’t been afforded the opportunity to shower or change clothes daily as many do.
The funds raised throughout the challenge help provide the homeless community with these basic human rights, giving them safe spaces, services and connection.
Getting involved doesn’t stop with just Orange Sky, it starts with them.
From organisations like Orange Sky to Rosies – Friends on the Street and other smaller initiatives, opportunities to lend a hand surround us constantly.
Every volunteer makes a difference. Every Sudsy Challenge participant makes a difference. Every donor makes a difference.
Whether it’s offering conversation, comfort or care. In a time when community matters most, stepping up isn’t just important, it’s essential.
And the impact of even the smallest act of service can often ripple far beyond what we can see.
