NOTHING SAYS ‘I LOVE YOU’ LIKE A CLEAN PAIR OF UNDIES
Announcement posted by The Wayside Chapel 07 Feb 2018
February 2018 – The ultimate declaration of love is as simple as gifting a clean pair of undies, according to Sydney-based charity Wayside Chapel, who are inviting Sydney-siders to donate new undies and pre-loved clothing to the homeless this Valentine’s Day.
An estimated 380[1] homeless people will spend Valentine’s Day on the streets of Sydney this February, without a set of clean clothes, clean underwear, access to showers or good food. Wayside Chapel’s annual ‘Nothing says I love you like a clean pair of undies’ drive aims to create a spike in donations to the charity ahead of the colder months.
Partnering with graphic artist, Reg Mombassa, Wayside Chapel will offer all donors a limited edition Valentine’s Day e-card to gift on to their significant other.
“The confidence you get when stepping into a fresh pair of undies is what we want to extend to our visitors through our ‘Nothing says I love you like a clean pair of undies’ donation drive this Valentine’s Day,” said Jon Owen, Head of People and Culture at Wayside Chapel.
“Our hope is that this campaign will not only help make sure our clothing stocks are well-maintained, it will make sure our Community Services Centres are properly resourced and can continue to help people move towards better days.”
How Sydney-siders can spread the ‘Nothing says I love you like a clean pair of undies’ cheer with Sydney’s homeless this Valentine’s Day:
1) Register online to make a clothing donation on behalf of your special someone at waysidechapel.org.au and we will send them a special Valentine’s Day e-card
2) Once registered, donate clothing to Wayside Chapel’s King’s Cross Op Shop on any day leading up to and inclusive of Valentines Day
In return for support, Wayside Chapel will also be inviting all those who have donated to the appeal to attend a special behind the scenes Open Day tour of Wayside Chapel Kings Cross or Bondi on Valentines Day.
“Sydney’s less fortunate deserve to feel loved this Valentine’s Day, and this small token of thanks from Wayside Chapel to those who donate before February 14th is my way of combining humour, charity and art for a good cause,” said Mombassa (a.k.a. Chris O’Doherty), who designed this year’s ‘nothing says I love you like a clean pair of undies’ Valentine’s Day card as a long-time supporter of Wayside Chapel.
Wayside Chapel provides over 350 changes of clothes to Sydney’s homeless each week and hopes to receive a spike of 800 changes of clothes through this year’s ‘Nothing says I love you like a clean pair of undies’ campaign.
Donations will be accepted via Wayside Chapel Kings Cross, (29 Hughes Street, Potts Point NSW).
For more information visit The Wayside Chapel online or via social:
www.facebook.com/thewaysidechapel/
www.instagram.com/thewaysidechapel/
- ENDS -
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Wayside Chapel
Wayside Chapel has provided unconditional love, care and support for people on and around the streets of Kings Cross since 1964. Each year, thousands of people visit Wayside's two centres in Kings Cross and Bondi for assistance in gaining equitable access to essential health, welfare and related services. Wayside Chapel is well known for its Community Services Centres, dedicated Aboriginal Space and Day-to-Day Living Programs.
Under the banner of ‘Love Over Hate’, Wayside's programs and services are designed to ensure that the most marginalised members of the community have access to essential health, welfare, social and recreational services.
Launched in 2015, the ‘Nothing says I love you like a clean pair of undies’ campaign is a metaphor for providing the basics for people sleeping rough.
About Reg Mombassa
Artist and Musician - Chris O’Doherty (also known as Reg Mombassa) was born in Auckland New Zealand in 1951 and migrated to Australia with his parents and brother in 1969. He has exhibited paintings, drawings and prints at Watters Gallery in Darlinghurst since 1975, and designed the painting that hangs above the entrance to the Community Hall at Wayside Chapel Kings Cross.