You can feel it in the air – winter is here! Perth winters can be lovely if you and your family are lucky enough to have a safe roof over your heads and money for food, heating and clothing. But for the thousands of families who are in housing crisis or sleeping rough, winter is a very challenging time. It is also one of the busiest times of the year for Karnany Engagement Hub.
Karnany Engagement Hub is Indigo’s open-door service that engages with any community member who reaches out for support – with a strong focus on meeting the needs of people who are street present. In particular, it provides support for people who are:
- hungry and need something to eat and drink
- needing to access a shower and/or laundry facilities
- experiencing physical, mental and/or financial crisis
- are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
- living in or escaping a violent home life
- needing to access a telephone or the internet
In some instances, Karnany supplies Emergency Relief (ER) to eligible community members in need. ER is provided by appointment only and comes in the form of food vouchers, pharmacy vouchers, part bill payments, Foodbank vouchers or frozen meals. Each person who receives ER also partakes in a one-on-one assessment and information session with an Indigo Junction support worker.
In 2023 and 2024, Karnany recorded an increase in requests for ER during winter.
In 2023, Indigo Junction received 1646 requests for ER support during winter. This was a 74% increase compared to autumn, which saw 944 requests. In the winter of 2024, the number of ER requests rose to 1927.
This winter, we anticipate the number will be even higher.
What can people do to help?
Help us in our mission to meet the ever-increasing demand for emergency relief. Indigo’s Winter Appeal raises money for essential supplies, food vouchers and service delivery to support disadvantaged individuals and families in our community.
Please donate today. Your one-off or regular contribution will go directly towards supporting the people who need it most.
