Help keep our showers running year round
For most of us, a shower is how the day begins. For someone sleeping rough, it can be the first moment of warmth, privacy, and safety they've had in days.
This Giving Day, donate $47 to help keep our showers running, and give someone sleeping rough the chance to start their day with warmth and dignity.
Thanks to the kindness of our incredible community, we’ve raised enough to keep our showers running for the next year. Our matching pool has now been exhausted. We’re so grateful for everyone who helped make that possible.
Your gift can still make a real difference. Donations now help support other Wayside services — from hot meals to health and legal support, and a welcoming place where every person is met with unconditional love and care this National Homelessness Week.
- Rev. Jon Owen, CEO & Pastor
Donate now and turn the taps on for someone sleeping rough this winter.
Tia Brown just donated $17.87- David Rigon just donated $50.00
- Jamie Barbuto just donated $52.54
- Wendy Gunthorpe just donated $47.00
- Anonymous just donated $216.50
- Danielle Golding just donated $100.61
- Jenny Harcourt just donated $61.36
- Kim Robbins just donated $93.00
- Anonymous just donated $100.61
- Maureen Fearnside just donated $52.54
- Anonymous just donated $52.54
- Anonymous just donated $100.61
- Kenneth Larsen just donated $600.00
- Rhett McConnell just donated $55.95
- Gabrielle Ewington just donated $52.54
- Anonymous just donated $106.75
- Anonymous just donated $202.35
- Anonymous just donated $52.54
- Christopher McCann just donated $23.81
- Anonymous just donated $100.61
The Challenge
Access to a shower should be a basic right, not a luxury, yet our visitors often go days without access to a clean, safe place to wash.
Right now, there are around 35,000 people experiencing homelessness in NSW alone, and with the cost-of-living crisis and rental prices skyrocketing, more people than ever are turning to us for help. In June, we saw a 13% increase in visitors using our showers compared to the same time last year.
This Giving Day, we need your help to keep our showers running all year round.
The Solution
Each week, Wayside Chapel provides around 220 warm showers to people who need them most, because a shower isn't a luxury, it's a simple act with enormous impact.
For someone sleeping rough, that's not just a shower, it's a few minutes of safety, warmth and dignity.
Our doors are open seven days a week, with five showers available, so that no matter when someone needs a shower, we're there.
This Giving Day we're aiming to raise $500,000 to keep our showers running all year, covering everything from water and electricity to toiletries and staff who welcome each visitor in with warmth and respect.
Donate today and help make sure that moment of safety and dignity is there for whoever needs it next.
How does your donation help?
Access to a shower should be a basic right, and your donation helps make sure everyone gets one, all year round.
This Giving Day, your donation will help us provide...
- A hot shower across our five showers at Kings Cross and Bondi, so no matter when someone needs one, we're there.
- Toiletries, clean towels and a change of clothes, so every visitor can walk away clean, dry and ready for the day.
- Staff who welcome every visitor with dignity and warmth, because at Wayside, everyone is a person to be met, not a problem to be solved.
- The day-to-day running costs that keep our showers open, all year round.
You can turn the taps on dignity for people like Andrew
As a young, gay man, Andrew left his country town to come to Sydney, searching for a community that would accept and love him for who he was. Like all of us, he just wanted to feel like he belonged.
Sadly, Andrew quickly found himself on the streets - an outcast in a city that can be cold and unwelcoming.
“When you're on the streets, Wayside is a safe place to come and hang out and be okay for a while, and not be cold, and not be wet and get a change of socks, or have a shower, and something cheap to eat."
Now Andrew comes to Wayside regularly to see his mates and to take part in our programs. He's made many connections in the community, not only with visitors but also volunteers and staff.
Andrew now feels like he belongs here in the city, as much as anyone.
“I thought, this is somewhere I'm going to hang out, because I'm going to be accepted here.”
Andrew, Wayside Chapel visitor
How does your donation help?
Access to a shower should be a basic right, and your donation helps make sure everyone gets one, all year round.
This Giving Day, your donation will help us provide...
A hot shower across our five showers at Kings Cross and Bondi, so no matter when someone needs one, we're there.
Staff who welcome every visitor with dignity and warmth, because at Wayside, everyone is a person to be met, not a problem to be solved.
Toiletries, clean towels and a change of clothes, so every visitor can walk away clean, dry and ready for the day.
The day-to-day running costs that keep our showers open, all year round.
We are so grateful to our supporters who are turning the tap on dignity.
Together, we will show people that a shower isn't a luxury, it's a simple act with enormous impact.
Tia Brown
David Rigon
Jamie Barbuto
Wendy Gunthorpe
Anonymous
Danielle Golding
Jenny Harcourt
Kim Robbins
Anonymous
Maureen Fearnside
