Eastland and Urban Life Church offer shelter for the homeless as part of Winter Shelter 2019
A shopping centre and a church in Melbourne’s east is embracing the homeless, opening up a temporary day shelter for those doing it rough.
Outer East
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A Melbourne shopping centre and a church have teamed up to give the homeless some respite from the winter weather.
Eastland and Urban Life Church have opened up space in Ringwood’s Midway Arcade as part of the Maroondah Winter Shelter program.
It is open from 1 to 5pm and has been fitted-out with donations including couches, tables, lockers, snacks, a TV and appliances to make warm drinks.
Program participant Callum, 41, had been living in Ringwood and Croydon before he lost his job and home.
He said the shelter was a far cry from his time shivering on the streets in Melbourne’s CBD.
“It gives us somewhere where we feel safe … in the afternoons it gives us some warmth and somewhere to put our feet up, and keep us out of the shopping centres we get kicked out of,” Callum said.
Urban Life is one of seven Maroondah churches which have opened their doors one night a week to give participants dinner and a roof over their heads this winter.
The program has up to 12 participants each night — all single men — and has helped more than 40 people get back on their feet.
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Winter Shelter director Scott Hawkins said the day shelter allowed the program to extend its services into afternoons and had been “good for the community, our volunteers and our guests”.
Eastland general manager Greg Balmforth said the centre wanted to support Winter Shelter and hoped the space would “make life a little more comfortable for those in need”.
Warranwood shopper Helen, who didn’t give her surname, said the initiative wouldn’t deter her from coming to Eastland “in any way”.
“There are lots of homeless people in the area who need our support and understanding, and a safe place where they can hang out and not be judged and harassed,” she said.
The day shelter will operate until September 15 and Mr Hawkins said organisers and Eastland would look to include it again in next year’s program.
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