The Kiama community is stepping up to help those doing it tough this winter. Kerry Fahey, owner of local Kiama business Kerry’s Klothes, knows what a difference a cosy blanket, pair of socks or woollen beanie can mean to those doing it tough. So she and a like-minded cohort of community members, including Margie Tweedie from Care Essentials, have taken action at a grassroots level.

In June, Kerry and Margie, along with a host of other volunteers, started a winter donation drive for those in need of some winter warmth. She put out a call to the community for donations of winter woollies including blankets, socks, beanies, sleeping bags, doonas and toiletries. The response has been overwhelmingly positive.

“It not only warms them up physically, but warms their heart, knowing there are people out there who care,” says Kerry. “Really I’m the lucky one. I get to see the joy on their faces.”

The cost of living crisis is biting hard for everyone, but it’s lower income earners who are feeling the pinch the most, with many being pushed out of stable housing due to rising rents. 

Families across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven are struggling to make ends meet, with many going without essentials like heating and food due to the rising cost of electricity, gas and groceries. Others are unable to afford stable housing, living out of their cars, couch surfing, relying on transitional housing with family and friends or homelessness support services.

Monday August 5 marked the start of Homelessness Week and peak national body Homelessness Australia is calling for Homelessness Action Now.

In June, when the bitter winter cold began to bite, Kerry reached out to people in Kiama, Berry, Shoalhaven Heads and Gerringong for donations via social media and she describes the response as “absolutely extraordinary”.

Each Sunday Kerry joins the Nanak Free Community kitchen - where members of the Sikh community cook heartwarming curries for those who need - to distribute donated items. 

“People have just been wonderful,” says Kerry. “It’s been a delight to see how thoughtful people are with what they send me. One lady gave me backpacks, others gave me 32 brand new sleeping bags.

“My friend Margie also started helping out when she heard what we were doing. Margie runs Care Essentials and she has a wonderful network of people, including knitters, who donate beautiful blankets, scarves and beanies.”

Care Essential provide packs to those in need

Seven years ago Margie started Care Essentials in Sydney where a team of volunteers collected scarves, beanies and coats throughout winter, and put together care packs of toiletries and other essentials year round for those in need. 

When Margie moved to Kiama three years ago she continued to put together care packs for those in need. She met Kerry when the Kiama businesswoman was collecting donations for people impacted by the Lismore floods.

“We work well together,” says Margie. “Recently Kerry was able to source some donated handbags through one of her suppliers in the shop and I had some lovely toiletries and gift items that have been donated. So we put together 43 bags to take to women’s shelters in the region. We’ve also been able to donate backpacks with toys and other small comforts for families arriving in shelters to escape domestic and family violence. 

“We can’t thank the community enough for their contributions. Every donation big or small, makes a difference to someone, and all are given directly to the homeless, women’s refuges or homeless hubs to help those in need. Kerry and I hope to create more beautiful handbag donations and children’s backpacks for women’s refuges as a Christmas project, and would really appreciate any donations for these.”

The Kiama and surrounding communities have been so generous with their donations that Kerry has had to take over her husband’s man-shed to store all the items until she has a chance to distribute them. 

“I’ve got about eight tables full of donations set up in the shed,” she says.

As well as handing out donations alongside Nanak, Kerry has also donated goods to Salt, a community group in Bomaderry that provides support to those who are homeless, Safe Waters Ulladulla and the Wollongong Homeless Hub. Kerry has asked that the community hold off on any further donations until mid-August. 

Margie has called on the community to buy a few extras like deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, body wash, toothbrushes and small toothpaste, small soaps, tissues, bandaids, combs, razors, hand sanitiser and lip balm, during their shops to donate to Care Essentials. 

You can find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/careessentials1