A local charity dedicated to helping the homeless in Logan has itself become homeless.
Touch of Hope is a charity in Logan that provides food, clothing and other essentials to people in need.
Co-created by Annita Anderson, the organisation had moved twice already this year and is now forced to leave its Woodridge headquarters because it is being demolished to accommodate the upgrades to the nearby railway.
Ms Anderson said all the charity’s products – including books, hampers, CDs and non-perishable foods – were moved to her house while she was searching for a new space.
“The charity rules my house at the moment,” Ms Anderson said.
“The co-founder’s garage is chock-a-block, and there’s a volunteer who has stored things inside her home as well.”
Touch of Hope started six years ago after Ms Anderson and her husband “fell upon hard times”.
“At that time, there wasn’t a lot of help around,” she said.
“That was the inspiration for us.
“We looked around and asked, ‘we can’t be the only ones needing help, there’s bound to be more’.”
Six years on, the organisation provides food and books to local school students, it gives “love bags” to foster carers, and it runs outreach programs for the needy, giving them food and clothing – just to name a few.
“A homeless woman came in on the weekend in desperate need of a haircut,” Ms Anderson said.
“She didn’t even have a hairbrush.”
“She got some clothing and toiletry, she went and had a shower, and came out looking a million dollars.”
She said it showed how much people take for granted.
“When people don’t have the luxury of a shower, the smallest of things can make them feel human again,” she said.
“At our outreach, we see it and we hear it, and the line is getting longer.”
But unfortunately Touch of Hope is struggling to keep up with demand because it has no home of its own.
“The charity doesn’t have a home at the moment, and it is stressing all of us out,” Ms Anderson said.
“Getting a premises is the biggest need for us, so that we can continue growing.”
She said the housing precariousness the charity was facing made even more clear the struggles of many Logan residents.
To seek help, or to support Touch of Hope, contact Annita Anderson on email: touchofhope@outlook.com.au
