Beauty and the Geek’s Brandon Cowan collects clothes and toiletries to give to the homeless
HE may have been the “geek” in the reality show Beauty and the Geekbut there is no doubt the latest charitable venture of the young St Ives resident is a real beauty.
North Shore
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HE may have been the “geek” in the reality show Beauty and the Geek but there is no doubt the latest charitable venture of the young St Ives resident is a real beauty.
Brandon Cowan, 22, now dedicates most Sundays to cramming his small hatchback with piles of donated clothes and personally delivering them to the homeless.
The young entrepreneur asks people to donate clothes or handy items like sleeping bags via his Facebook page.
Over the past six months, his posts have become so popular on the north shore that he’s giving a carload of goods every fortnight.
In fact, he’s received so many donations that he’s converted his mother’s living room into a makeshift warehouse.
“You should see our living room, it is literally filled with clothes and blankets, mostly for winter,” he said.
“There’s bags of stuff everywhere.”
But far from being daunted by the community’s response, Cowan is keen to spread the word.
He’s now on the lookout for specific donations requested by homeless people including toiletries, toothpaste, tents, backpacks, books and sleeping bags.
Each time he visits the homeless people at Woolloomooloo, he is re-energised to keep helping by how grateful they are.
“They say ‘Hey, is this for us?’ and they are always so appreciative and shake my hand and say thanks,” he said.
“I don’t ask them their personal stories because it’s not my business but they are so grateful.”
As for what he learned from his brush with reality television, he says:
“I didn’t really learn much. Maybe just how much of an idiot I can be on national TV and not really care.
“It was just a bit of a laugh.”
Visit Brandon Cowan’s Facebook or email brandoncowan2@hotmail.com
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