At St John’s we have supported Orange Sky for some time. We know the story of the two young 20-year-olds Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett who set out to help people experiencing homelessness in Brisbane by providing free laundry to our ‘friends on the street’. Nic and Lucas installed donated laundry machines into their old van ‘Sudsy’ and headed out. With the machines in full swing, there wasn’t much left to do but sit and chat. That’s where they learnt the real impact of the service – giving time to people and genuinely listening to their experiences meant so much more than just clean clothes.

That’s why at Orange Sky, the mission doesn’t involve the words ‘laundry’ or ‘washing’ – their mission is simply to positively connect communities. The most important pieces of infrastructure are six orange chairs which emerge wherever the van stops.

Every day, Orange Sky volunteers are witness to the power of how a simple conversation and connection to others can change a life. It happens across Australia, including in remote communities, where it demonstrates a significant social impact by creating employment and training opportunities. Further, understanding the importance of preserving the environment, Orange Sky is now using their newly-developed Waru (meaning ‘fire’) Dryer. Run from a battery charged by solar energy, the Waru needs 90% less electrical energy.

Orange Sky also helps people made homeless by natural disasters – from floods in Townsville, Lismore and Brisbane through to the Victorian bushfires, demonstrating how things as simple as clean laundry and companionship can bring normalcy back to people’s lives.

Their newest venture is in Adelaide, a shopfront, a paid laundry service that funds the mobile service. Orange Sky developed this commercial experiment as a practical way to drive more sustainable social impact.

At the heart of all these developments is connection, the most powerful contribution Orange Sky brings to our friends on the street. Even during the pandemic, Orange Sky was classified as an essential service and delivered their usual service with minimal risk to Friends on the Street and to volunteers. No matter the circumstance, every week around Australia, volunteers sit on orange chairs and chat.

Those six orange chairs are where barriers are broken down, stereotypes are challenged, relationships are built and connections are formed. Every day at Orange Sky is a demonstration of how a positive connection can transform a person’s life.

At St John’s, we value the importance of community, and welcoming the stranger. It costs about $300 for an entire shift of genuine conversation, clean clothes and warm showers. Can we support Orange Sky to provide at least four shifts of life-changing connections for our friends on the streets? That’s only $1,200. Think about the impact that this small contribution might have for our Friends on the Street.