As we wrapped up our seventh annual Heart for the Homeless appeal this week, once again your compassion and generosity absolutely blew us away. With the cold and wet weather reminding us just how tough winter can be for those without shelter, our community came together in an incredible way to help those sleeping rough across Perth.
With 25 collection points spread across the metro area, we gathered your donations on Monday and Tuesday this week, sorted and counted them on Tuesday and Wednesday, and by Thursday, our team of dedicated volunteers had already delivered your generous contributions to our partner organisations – St Pat’s, St Bart’s and Uniting WA – just in time for the start of winter.
The Tally (So Far!)
We are thrilled to announce that, thanks to your generosity, this year’s tally has reached 11,733 items – and donations are still coming in, so that number continues to grow!
Here’s what that looks like:
- 521 sleeping bags
- 284 blankets
- 1,115 pairs of socks
- 724 beanies
- 1,882 items of clothing
- 1,051 toothbrushes
- And a whole lot more…
A huge shout-out goes to Bunnings stores across the Perth metro area, who went above and beyond this year, donating over 270 sleeping bags to support the cause. Your generosity made a real difference—especially as our partner organisations were pretty much entirely out of sleeping bags the day before we delivered! In fact, some of the sleeping bags went straight out the door to those who needed them as we were still there delivering!
United for a Cause
Sonshine CEO Michael Pailthorpe said the overwhelming response is a sign of the community’s deep compassion, especially in the face of increasing need.
“With the cost of living continuing to rise, and our housing crisis deepening, almost 11,000 Western Australians are experiencing some form of homelessness, whether sleeping rough, couch surfing or sleeping in their cars. It’s never been more vital that we come together to offer warmth, hope and dignity to those doing it tough” he said.
This year, our community didn’t just give items—they gave hope. Throughout the month of May we heard powerful stories from individuals who have experienced homelessness first-hand, as well as the dedicated workers from our partner organisations who are walking alongside them every day.
Michael Piu, CEO of St Pat’s, sums it up beautifully: “What’s so special about this campaign is how Sonshine brings people together—not just to provide support, but to show people who are doing it tough that they’re not alone.”
Jen Park, Co-CEO of Uniting WA, echoed the importance of this collective action: “Ending homelessness requires a whole-of-community approach. Campaigns like Heart for the Homeless show what’s possible when people work together. Every donation, every conversation, every act of kindness gets us closer to that goal.”
Thank You
This appeal couldn’t have happened without the generous support of our volunteers. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to those who came out to help collect, sort, and deliver items—including volunteers from St Pat’s, Uniting WA, Soroptimist International, and students from St Stephen’s School, Duncraig. Your hands and hearts made this all possible.
From all of us at Sonshine, thank you for making our seventh annual Heart for the Homeless appeal another powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when we come together. And remember—it’s not over yet. Donations are still coming in, and every item adds up to warmth, comfort and dignity for someone who needs it.
Let’s keep the heart beating for those who need it most this winter. ❤️