Away from the freezing cold and rain sits a safe haven, Winter Shelter in the city of Maroondah, Victoria gives homeless men safety in the most challenging months in Australia.
Their mission?
“To provide shelter, food, honour for people who need shelter, comfort and support.”
At the shelter, men receive community meals © Winter Shelter
Winter shelter services
Since 2018, a collective effort of 7 different Maroondah churches takes turns once a week hosting men ages 18 and up, while providing hot meals, beds, clothing and showers from June 1 – August 31.
The shelter program partners with Uniting Vic.Tas in Ringwood, which refers men to the church shelters after an evaluation and discussion of the specific rules. From there, Winter Shelter picks up the guests by minibus and brings them to the shelter where a group of volunteers greet them with warm beds and meals. The all men shelter provides an opening for a less accommodated gender and age group of rough sleepers.
As Australia grows in wealth inequality, with the top 20 per cent of wealthiest households having 90 times the income of the lowest 20 per cent, according to the Inequality in Australia 2023 Overview Report, it becomes increasingly important for shelters to keep their doors open.
With 260 volunteers, the Winter Shelter also provides their Community Meals program that runs year around as well as help from local businesses and donations such as dentistry, clothes, haircuts and laundry services for the overnight winter shelter.
The shelter accommodates up to 12 men per night and in the morning guests are allowed to rebook for the next day and leave with a packed lunch.
Volunteers help to support men going through tough times © Winter Shelter
Volunteer community
Having been there from the start, Community Engagement Manager Gitta Clayton said she enjoys the connections and volunteer impacts.
“One of our guests a couple of years ago said he’d never been loved. He’d never experienced anybody caring or loving him. So, why do I do this? Why do we care? This is quite the standard that we would do for anyone and the really positive difference you can make in someone’s life by doing very easy things,” Clayton said.
The volunteer positions for the Winter Shelter include morning, evening, or overnight shift worker, cook, minibus or trailer driver, or helper. For the Community meals program you can volunteer to cook meals at home or help serve meals at a venue.
Volunteers must be 18 years or older and have a working with children card. They also don’t have to be affiliated with any church and will receive in house training from the Winter Shelter staff.
“It’s been quite different this year, much busier than it’s ever been with the wet and cold and shortage in housing. I love running and being involved in it, but I’d also love to not have to do it at all. There just needs to be better housing solutions,” Clayton said.
Volunteers help bring comfort and peace to men in their hardest times and provide needed space and fulfilment in doing so.
The men are provided with a warm bed and meals © Winter Shelter
The lasting impact
Gitta Clayton said the banter at dinner time and the camaraderie between guests makes putting in the work a great honour.
“We have had comments like men saying it just feels like they’re with a family again and it’s nice to hear that you’re able to make them feel really welcome and to be a part of a community here,” Clayton said.
Although after August 31 the men will have to find else where to stay if still needed, the comfort during the winter and bonds made continue to shape Winter Shelter’s mission.
“It’s really that making that difference to someone who thinks that they’re not as good as everybody else because of their circumstances and we don’t judge. We should all be treated equally,” Clayton said.
To learn more about Winter Shelter, check out their website.
To read about the charity supporting the mental health and wellbeing of rural mums, click here.