By Callum Ludwig
Woori Yallock resident Jenny Willetts has been recognised for her support of some of the most vulnerable in the local community, receiving the Order of Australia (OAM) on the King’s Birthday holiday.
Ms Willetts OAM founded what has become the Stable One winter shelter network in 2017 when members of local Christian churches in Lilydale, Mt Evelyn, Wandin and Yarra Glen banded together to address the absence of crisis accommodation in the Yarra Ranges.
Ms Willetts OAM said they piloted the program in winter that year, throughout June, July and August.
“We supported 26 men and women who were homeless and two dogs, basically providing a meal and dormitory-style sleeping in the churches, we got a trailer of camp beds, a whole load of bedding and everything, and found seven churches that each would take one night of the week,” she said.
“We would set up the beds, eat a meal, people would sleep and have breakfast and then we’d move to the next building and do it all again, and we did that for 90 days.”
Since the network was established in the Yarra Ranges, they have gone to be set up in Knox, Whitehorse, Frankston, Mornington Peninsula, Sunbury, Shepparton, Wang, Glen Eira (not operating this year) and Toowoomba (Queensland).
Ms Willetts OAM said she is really honoured to receive the OAM but does feel like it belongs to the wider church network.
“It’s just a great thing that the church has done because they’ve worked together, it’s not about specific church buildings or religious organisations, it’s about the people who belong to those churches and people from the community who’ve joined us,” she said.
“They’re huge volunteer projects, it takes at least 150 volunteers to run a project like that through winter and but it’s a community doing something to solve a problem when there’s no other option right now.”
Stable One also has a Daytime Support Centre to provide lunch, laundry services and showers for the homeless, as well as provide an opportunity to socialise and be referred to more services and support.
Ms Willetts OAM said the award also belongs to the rough sleepers in our community.
“Those people who are so resilient, brave and beautiful, are valuable people who are forgotten about and not provided for in our community, particularly in the Yarra Ranges, there’s never been crisis accommodation and there’s none on the horizon,” she said,
“People think it’s an inner city issue, and it’s not, homelessness is an issue in just about every town in Australia these days, and it’s only getting worse.”
Anyone who knows someone in the Yarra Ranges area who needs somewhere to stay can contact the local Stable One volunteers at info@stableone.org or 1800 431 244.
Anyone interested in volunteering can register at: www.bttr.im/dqzk9.
