An empty parking lot became a shelter for the homeless after the founder of Beddown saw an opportunity to help others.
Homelessness has been a huge problem for the longest time. Reasons for people losing their homes vary but circumstances out of their control usually play big factors. We’re talking sickness, the loss of jobs, and even natural calamities.
They can no longer afford life’s luxuries. Homeless people will sleep anywhere they can and while it is dangerous, they really have no choice as they resort to the streets to survive.
Beddown is an Australian charity founded by Norman McGillivray.
He realized that there’s so much unused space at night that it could be used as a shelter for the homeless.
So the organization went ahead and asked Secure Parking, securing a two-week trial of the program in Brisbane. With all the approval and paperwork done, volunteers got to work setting up the empty parking lot for the homeless to stay in.
Beddown’s mission is to find common places that are only utilized in the day so that they can transform them into a shelter for all the homeless who need a place to spend the night in.
Homeless people are very much at risk of attacks and robberies. Sleep deprivation is also a problem which could lead to conditions such as depression, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and memory loss.
Beddown were also kind enough to offer multiple services to the homeless, such as doctors, nurses, dentists, and hairdressers. The homeless were then given new clothes. They were also given a place to clean themselves and freshen up as needed.
Then Beddown gave them access to social services.
Beddown wrote about their wonderful project on their Instagram page saying:
“We will look to get as close as we can to a proper comfortable bed to provide the homeless with a great night’s sleep is our ultimate goal. Sleep deprivation is a massive issue for our homeless, so being in a place that offers shelter and is safe, secure and comfortable we believe will have a big impact on those who use Beddown.”
Judging from the turnout and reviews, it looks like this won’t be the last time Beddown will be converting empty lots into shelters. The statistics gathered looked promising with a total of 41 guests over two weeks
Sleep and the beds were rated by their guests 4.5 out of 5.
But perhaps the most important aspect of the project was that all of the guests felt safe during their stay. There was even a 15-year-old, the youngest in the project, who tried to access Beddown.
It’s a wonderful initiative from Beddown. Let’s hope many other organizations and companies follow suit. Not necessarily in the same manner, but with another project which helps improve the lives of all the homeless out there.
A study conducted in the United States alone says that, “a total of 552,830 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in 2018”. Lockdowns may have seen those numbers rise. So let’s help when we can.
Watch Beddown’s inspiring project below!
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