We urgently need your help to welcome everyone who needs us.Â
Winter brings some of the toughest conditions for our community.
From biting winds to frosty temperatures and relentless downpours, the colder months are especially harsh for those sleeping rough.
Yet, it's not just people experiencing homelessness coming to Wayside during this season. With skyrocketing rents in Sydney and a deepening cost-of-living crisis, all our visitors are struggling to afford essentials like food, medication, and heating - and that’s on top of other ongoing stressors like family violence and health issues.
Now more than ever, we need to be there for them, with open arms.
Donate now to give all those who are cold, lost and alone, the essential care needed this winter.
Just in the last year, we saw a 50% increase in daily visitors, and we’re expecting that to grow even further as winter sets in.
When the temperature drops, and the rain comes lashing down in Sydney, we welcome anyone who may be living on the streets or in crisis for a hot shower, clean clothes, and a home-cooked meal at our community cafes. And once we’ve supported people with their immediate needs, we’re also there to help them find a path out of their crisis. It could be help finding a job, arranging a place to stay, untangling legal issues or escaping family violence.
But there’s something extra special we offer – friendship and unconditional acceptance. In a cold, and often judgmental city, our visitors are met as people, not as problems to be solved.
When you keep the doors of Wayside Chapel open, we can give our hearts to people most in need.
"When you walk into Wayside, people say hello to you, and they remember your name.
You leave feeling like you're a different person than when you arrived"
- Andrew, Wayside Chapel visitor
Will you welcome people like Andrew with open arms?
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.
But at Wayside, Andrew was met with warmth and compassion.
“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,” says Andrew.
“I thought, this is somewhere where I'm going to come and hang out, because I’m going to be accepted here.”
Now, Andrew comes to Wayside regularly to see his mates and to take part in our many programs. He’s made many connections in the community, not only with visitors but also with volunteers and staff.?
Andrew now feels like he belongs here in this city, as much as anyone.
With your support, we can welcome everyone who need us this winter.
What does your donation do?
This winter, more people than ever will come?to us feeling cold, lonely and like they don’t belong.
With your help,?we can ensure there’s always a place that’s warm and welcoming in the heart of the city.
You help provide over 908 blankets and clothes a week to keep a person warm this winter.
You help provide over 937 hot showers and toiletries a month to people who desperately need it.
You help provide over 7,781 low cost meals a month from our community cafes.
You help provide over 458 instances of care coordination a week, such as housing, Centrelink and legal support
Thanks to you, we're always there to deliver love and connection.
As a frontline organisation, Wayside Chapel plays an essential part in providing unconditional love, care and support for some of Sydney's most vulnerable people, including those who are experiencing homelessness and disadvantage, and who are facing physical and mental health challenges.
Everyone who walks through our doors is a person to be met, not a problem to be solved.
With your support, we provide a variety of support services that everyone can access on a daily basis. From necessities like shower and toilet facilities, food and clean clothing, to housing support and healthcare, our frontline workers are always there to provide the tailored wrap-around support that people need. Plus, a space where everyone is welcome and can connect with community.
You help us create community with no 'us and them'.
Please make your winter donation today. Thank you for choosing love over hate.
All donations to Wayside Chapel over $2 are tax-deductible.
If you make a donation before 30 June 2024, you will receive a tax-deductible receipt for this financial year (July 2023-June 2024).
If you have any issues or would like to made a donation over the phone, please call (02) 9581 9101.
Alternatively, you can email winter@thewaysidechapel.com.
