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Orange Sky Laundry
Established4 September 2014 (2014-09-04)
Operating since 10 October 2014; 10 years ago (2014-10-10)
FoundersNic Marchesi
Lucas Patchett
Founded atBrisbane
Registration no.85890622990
ServicesFree laundry for homeless
Websitewww.orangeskylaundry.com.au

Orange Sky Laundry is a charity based in Brisbane, Australia, that offers a free mobile laundry service for the homeless. It was established in September 2014 by Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett, who were named Young Australians of the Year in 2016. The service has since expanded across Australia. As of June 2024 Orange Sky offered services to 38 locations, of which 14 are in remote communities.

Background

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Orange Sky Laundry was established on 4 September 2014[1] and began operations on 10 October 2014.[2] Marchesi describes himself and Patchett as "two normal everyday blokes who had a crazy idea".[3] They had previously volunteered at food vans and other outreach programs while still at school, and had a passion to help the homeless. Their idea "started as a fun test project — to see if it would work. From there, it took a life of its own.”[4] They took the name for their service from the Alexi Murdoch song "Orange Sky", which is about lending a hand to those in need.[5]

Orange Sky Laundry is a government-registered charity.[1] The service is believed to be a world first.[3]

In February 2015, five months after they started with the first van in Brisbane in October 2014,[6] and two weeks after their expansion into Cairns, Cyclone Marcia hit the central Queensland coast and the then 20-year-olds headed to the area to offer their free service to affected communities.[7] Similarly, in January 2016, they travelled to Victoria to provide laundry services to people affected by the Great Ocean Road bushfires.[8]

The laundry vans filled a service gap and not only offered clean clothes and blankets but also dignity. Marchesi says the human connections enabled to the isolated is the most important aspect of their initiative.[9] Each van also carries six orange chairs. During the time the laundry is being washed and dried in the vans, the volunteers sit and socialise with the visitors.[10]

Laundry expansion

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Orange Sky began operating its second van (in Cairns) by February 2015,[11] and its third in Melbourne in June.[12] Their first birthday, and World Homeless Day 2015,[2] were celebrated with a new service in south east Victoria, funded by partners The Good Guys[13] (who provided half of the funding for the van[14]), the Jelley Family Foundation, and the Bennelong Foundation.[2] Other vans began operating in Sydney in November 2015,[5][15] Gold Coast in January 2016,[16] Perth in February 2016,[17][18] Adelaide in March 2016,[19][20] Sunshine Coast in April 2016,[9] Canberra in April 2016,[19][21][22] and Hobart in July 2016.[23]

By July 2016, Orange Sky had 10 vans and 600 volunteers, and were estimated to be washing nearly six tonnes of laundry each week.[24] By 2018 they had 13 vans servicing 121 locations, with over 800 volunteers.[25] They have plans to expand to the US.[26]

Another initiative is "Australia's first social impact laundromat", a commercial laundromat run by Orange Sky in Melbourne Street, North Adelaide, with profits helping to fund the organisation's laundry services to homeless people.[27]

Since 2018 Orange Sky has extended its reach into remote Indigenous communities across Australia. As of June 2024 Orange Sky offered services to 38 locations, of which 14 are in remote communities.[28]

Orange Sky Showers

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On 23 August 2016, Orange Sky launched a new mobile service: free hot showers for the homeless. One of the homeless people to first try the shower van described it as "bloody awesome".[29] The first van was being trialled in Brisbane in 2016, with plans to move it permanently to Melbourne, as it was funded by the Shine On Foundation based in Melbourne.[30]

Awards

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On Australia Day 2016, the two co-founders were awarded joint Young Australians of the Year for their social entrepreneurship.[31] In their acceptance speeches after being announced as winners by the Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, Patchett said "we can restore respect, raise health standards and be a catalyst for conversation". Marchesi continued "It's so crazy and humbling to think such a simple idea has had such a significant impact".[32]

In June 2016 they were invited to Frankfurt, Germany to receive a Global Best Practices Award: Special Award for Corporate Social Responsibility.[33]

In October 2018, Orange Sky was given the People's Choice Award in the Google Impact Challenge Australia.[34]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Orange Sky Laundry INC". Melbourne: Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  2. ^ a b c "SE Melbourne – Orange Sky Laundry". Orange Sky Laundry. 10 October 2015. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2016. On Orange Sky Laundry's 1st Birthday, and World Homeless Day (10 October 2015), we launched our 4th service into the community of South East Victoria.
  3. ^ a b Huntsdale, Justin (7 July 2016). "Homeless washing van planned for Wollongong as Orange Sky Laundry team visits city". ABC News. Illawarra. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  4. ^ Chan, Allison (23 June 2016). "Orange Sky Laundry: Young Australians of the Year". Australia Plus. Australia. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  5. ^ a b Browne, Rachel (6 November 2015). "Orange Sky Laundry offers free washing service for Sydney's homeless". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney. Archived from the original on 4 October 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  6. ^ Leonov, Tatyana (9 April 2015). "Australian small firms take to four wheels". BBC News. Archived from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  7. ^ Atfield, Cameron (22 February 2015). "Cyclone Marcia: Orange Sky cleans up after the storm". Brisbane Times. Brisbane. Archived from the original on 5 January 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  8. ^ Chalkley-Rhoden, Stephanie (30 December 2015). "Great Ocean Road fires: Devastation leads to outpouring of community spirit". ABC News. Melbourne. Archived from the original on 14 April 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  9. ^ a b Tatham, Harriet (13 April 2016). "Orange Sky Laundry launches on Sunshine Coast, tackling housing, employment with clean clothes". ABC News. Sunshine Coast. Archived from the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  10. ^ "Orange Sky Laundry – What We Do". Orange Sky Laundry. Archived from the original on 18 September 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2016. Orange Sky Laundry is a catalyst for conversation. In the one hour time it takes to wash and dry someone's clothes there is absolutely nothing to do but sit down on one of our 6 orange chairs and have a positive and genuine conversation between our everyday volunteers and everyday friends on the street.
  11. ^ Clarke, Harry (13 February 2015). "Unique Brisbane charity Orange Sky Laundry launches second mobile laundry van for Cairns' homeless". Cairns Post. Cairns. Archived from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  12. ^ Webb, Carolyn (1 July 2016). "Orange Sky Laundry van provides a boost for Melbourne's homeless". The Age. Melbourne. Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  13. ^ "Orange Sky Laundry Co-Founders Are Truly Good Guys". The Good Guys. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  14. ^ Ly, Sophie (10 October 2015). "Orange Sky Laundry". 2SER Radio - Saturday Breakfast. Event occurs at 02:47. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  15. ^ "Orange Sky Laundry Services – now operating in Sydney". Sydney: NSW Govt Family & Community Services. 26 November 2015. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  16. ^ Bedo, Stephanie (14 January 2016). "Orange Sky Laundry launches on the Gold Coast washing clothes for homeless". Gold Coast Bulletin. Gold Coast. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  17. ^ Tyrrell, Claire (19 February 2016). "Orange Sky homeless laundry service comes to Perth". The West Australian. Perth. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  18. ^ Young, Emma (28 March 2016). "Orange Sky mobile laundry service for the homeless celebrates Perth launch". WAtoday. Perth. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  19. ^ a b Harrison Plesse, Richelle (30 March 2016). "Clean streets: the mobile laundry service helping Australia's homeless". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  20. ^ Campbell, Claire (30 March 2016). "Orange Sky Laundry service for the homeless extended to Adelaide". ABC News. Adelaide. Archived from the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  21. ^ Doherty, Megan (28 April 2016). "Young Australians of the Year wash the clothes of the homeless as Orange Sky Laundry launches in Canberra". The Canberra Times. Canberra. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  22. ^ Maher, Louise (28 April 2016). "Orange Sky Laundry offers clean clothes and conversation for homeless in Canberra". ABC News. Canberra. Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  23. ^ Smiley, Stephen (27 July 2016). "Orange Sky homeless laundry service kicks off in Hobart". ABC News. Hobart. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  24. ^ Hinchliffe, Jessica (1 July 2016). "Orange Sky Laundry road trip: Young Australians of the Year search for people making a difference". ABC News. Brisbane. Archived from the original on 23 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  25. ^ "Orange Sky Laundry". Orange Sky Laundry. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  26. ^ Calhoun, Marissa (14 July 2016). "Aussie's 'fun idea' inspires a movement". CNN. USA. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  27. ^ "Australia's first social impact laundromat comes to Melbourne Street". City of Adelaide. 2 May 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  28. ^ "Remote Communities". Orange Sky Australia. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  29. ^ Hamilton-Smith, Lexy (23 August 2016). "Mobile shower van for homeless hits Brisbane streets thanks to Orange Sky pair". ABC News. Brisbane. Archived from the original on 23 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  30. ^ "Orange Sky have just launched their first portable shower for the homeless in Brisbane". The Catholic Leader. 23 August 2016. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  31. ^ "Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett". Canberra: National Australia Day Council. 26 January 2016. Archived from the original on 13 September 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  32. ^ Allyson Horn (17 August 2016). "Australia Wide August 20". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Event occurs at 05:24. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  33. ^ "Global Best Practices Awards 2016". Ophemert Netherlands: CINET. 12 June 2016. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  34. ^ "Google.org Impact Challenge Australia 2018". Retrieved 4 November 2018.
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