Darlinghurst flaps its butterfly wings

Homelessness around Oxford St is an issue that only the most determined can pretend they don’t see.

So when Bayer and Mission Australia launched a project to help Transform Homelessness through a $60,000 donation and awareness campaign, Darlinghurst locals were the most enthusiastic contributors.

Bayer is donating $1 for every person who creates a pair of butterfly wings -” Mission Australia’s symbol of positive transformation -” and places it on their website.

More than 21,000 people have already placed their wings, with the largest response coming from the 2010 postcode. Bayer has agreed to contribute up to $60,000, which Mission Australia’s Lincoln Hopper said was vital to support disadvantaged Australians.

In recent months, Mission Australia has already seen an increased demand for food and travel vouchers and even worse, an increased number of Australians who are homeless for the first time due to a single financial crisis such as a major illness or even losing their job, he said.

When tough economic times hit, it’s those at the margins who suffer first. Interest rates may be coming down but the cost of living, particularly rent, is still high and if unemployment rises substantially we’ll see more families and individuals turning to us for help. The lead-up to Christmas can be particularly tough when expenses usually go up.

info: Create a butterfly at www.transformhomelessness.com.au
Darlinghurst residents are creating butterfly wings to help the homeless.