Education
104 Loads of Washing, 69 Warm Showers and 139 hours of Genuine Conversations with Australian's Experiencing Homelessness or Hardship.
This August, we're proud to be donating $5,000 to Orange Sky as part of our Charitable Giving program.
Orange Sky is the world's first free mobile laundry and shower service, supporting people experiencing homelessness and hardship in communities right across the country. It began with two mates and a couple of washing machines fitted into an old van - a small, practical idea that's since grown into one of Australia's most recognisable community services.
The need is significant. Over 122,000 Australians were counted as experiencing homelessness in the last Census, and with cost of living pressures and housing shortages continuing to bite, that number isn't shrinking. Access to a clean set of clothes or a hot shower is something most of us never think twice about - for thousands of people, it's out of reach.
Where your support goes
Our $5,000 donation provides 104 loads of washing, 69 warm showers and 139 hours of genuine, non-judgemental conversation for Australians doing it tough.
Numbers aside, it's what happens in between that really sets Orange Sky apart. While a load of washing runs, volunteers pull up their signature orange chairs and simply sit and chat with whoever's using the service. There's no script and nothing being sold - just company. For someone who might go days without a real conversation, that hour can matter just as much as the clean clothes.
The Partnership
Orange Sky now runs services in every state and territory, with vans powered by solar panels and fitted with their own Waru Dryers to keep things as low-impact as possible. Rather than working alone, they team up with food vans, community centres and other local outreach groups wherever they set up - recognising that no single service can meet every need on its own.
There's no eligibility test and no paperwork. Anyone doing it tough is welcome to pull up a chair, whether they need a wash, a shower, or just somewhere to sit for a while.
Why Orange Sky?
Our mission at Seed & Sprout has always centred on doing less harm and more good, for people and planet alike. Orange Sky lives that out in a really tangible way - solar-powered vans, low-impact drying tech, and a service that puts human dignity front and centre. Supporting a charity that gets both the social and environmental side of doing good right wasn't a hard call for us.
The Impact
Every wash cycle and every shower represents a real person - someone chasing a bit of normalcy, a fresh start, or just a friendly face to talk to for an hour. Multiply that across Orange Sky's volunteers and services nationwide, and you start to see how small, consistent acts of care add up to something much bigger.
If you'd like to learn more about the work Orange Sky does, or support them directly, we'd love for you to get involved.
Want to learn more about Orange Sky's work? Visit orangesky.org.au
