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Asylum Seekers Centre 'A Place Called Home' project

01 Nov 2020

What we heard

The Run for Good project had previously worked with the Asylum Seeker Centre (ASC) on the Heart and Home Project.  In follow up conversations with the ASC, they mentioned that they had been approached by a property group who had empty apartments, due to Covid-19.

The Asylum Seeker Centre received funding to pay for the rent on the apartments for six months, which allowed people seeking asylum to set up their own homes.  However these apartments were unfurnished and nowhere near what we would call a home.  We heard the need for furniture, linen, toys, food and all the things that make a home.

What we did

Firstly, we contacted our corporate sponsor Built to ask all their sub-contracting partners if we could get new furniture for these 13 apartments. 

The Built subcontractors and suppliers donated over $35,000 in furniture and kitchen appliances. Our community also purchased $1,500 worth of welcome packs that included essential food, cleaning and bathroom items.

Volunteers from our community and Built employees came and assembled the furniture and furnished the homes - putting food in the fridge, linen in the closet and toys on the childrens’ beds. Fridges, beds, sofas, tables and chairs, bedding, kids' books and toys and kitchen appliances were all supplied for free by our community.

When we presented the asylum seekers with the keys to their new homes, the smiles on the children’s faces will always stay with me.

Impact

Over $40,000 worth of furniture and household items were donated.  Plus countless volunteer hours.  Resulted in thirteen families moving into stable homes.

This was a six-month project supported by the Asylum Seekers Centre and one of our most rewarding to date.

Many thanks to

  • the Run for Good Project and Built teams of volunteers who helped assemble furniture and move in to create 10 homes
  • those who donated a total of over $1,500 to purchase "Welcome packs" containing some essential food, cleaning and bathroom items
  • the Built sub-contractors and suppliers for donating over $35,000 in furniture and kitchen appliances.  

Thanks to the following businesses.

 

For more information on this important project, visit the Asylum Seeker Centre website.

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