Imagine!
Imagine you were homeless and lived on the street.
What would be your priority for spending what little money you might have?
It certainly would not be on a laundromat.
Nick and Alex are two young Brisbane men who had the bright idea to put a washing machine in a van and do some loads of washing for the homeless. And so Orange Sky Laundry was born. There are now 11 vans operating around Australia fully staffed by volunteers.
They are supported by a paid staff in Brisbane who look after all the normal corporate stuff.
But the most important part of each $110,000 van are the six orange folding chairs that are set out while the washing and drying is being done.
The two volunteers chat with their "friends on the street" while the wash run is in progress and this is the true value of this exceptional grass roots social activity.
There are, of course, other measurable benefits by way of improvements in health and sanitation but it is in the outreach that the service is being truly effective.