The Crew Rockingham

There are some people who walk through the doors of The CREW and you just know they’re going to fit right in.

Daniel dropped off an incredible donation of food, toiletries and some much-needed essentials, and was sent on a quick tour of The CREW by one of our favourite volunteers, Carl.

The two of them hit it off pretty quickly, partly because Carl has a brother named Daniel… but mostly because apparently you can’t put two people who love maintenance, fixing things and figuring out how stuff works in the same room without them having plenty to talk about! 😂

What we loved even more was hearing about Daniel and his wife, their heart for our local community and their desire to simply do what they can to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

They’re a local family, part of a local church, and quietly getting stuck in where they can.

Daniel, thank you so much for your incredible generosity and for choosing to support The CREW.

From our CREW family to yours, we’re so grateful. It’s people like you who remind us that this really is a community effort. ❤️

A huge thank you to the team at RSM Australia for dropping off these goodies for The CREW last Thursday.

This donation was enough to top up our hygiene baskets for this week… just.

And that’s the reality at the moment. We are running very low again.

These might seem like simple things, but for someone doing it tough, having shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toothpaste and other personal care items can be a really big deal.

Imagine not being able to afford to wash your hair. Or having to choose between buying food and buying sanitary products.

These are the little things that can easily get missed when money is tight, but they are exactly the things people need to feel clean, comfortable and dignified.
We are also VERY low on sanitary items at the moment.

Times are tough, but one thing the City of Rockingham has never failed to do is rally around and support us as we support people doing it tough across our community.
So thank you RSM, and thank you to everyone who continues to donate the everyday essentials. They really do make a difference.

If you’re able to help us restock, we’d especially love donations of:
• Shampoo & conditioner
• Deodorant
• Toothpaste & toothbrushes
• Soap/body wash
• Razors
• Sanitary pads & tampons

It doesn’t have to be a huge donation. Sometimes a couple of packets from the supermarket is enough to help contribute to the bigger picture! Thank you in advance everyone. We love you.

Two weeks ago we had a visit from Lyndon Nilsson, State Manager at SecondBite, who popped in to check out our new coolroom and see how things are progressing at The CREW.

The coolroom has been a really important part of getting our distribution centre moving in the right direction, and it’s been a great partnership to make it happen, with the support of Magenta Marshall and her election commitment to see this become a reality.

Lyndon has been part of those conversations, so it was great to have him back, catch up with some of the team and show him the progress.

We love the relationship we have with SecondBite and the way we can work together to get food where it’s needed, while also supporting other agencies doing what they can in our community.

Now it’s our turn to head over and check out their new premises in Kewdale… and of course, we’re holding Lyndon to that promise of tea, coffee and bikkies! 😂

Thanks Lyndon and the whole SecondBite team for being such a great part of what we’re doing. We’re looking forward to continuing to see what we can achieve together.

A massive thank you to the beautiful kids, families and educators at Goodstart Early Learning Baldivis for this incredible donation.

The Kindergarten kids and their families have been collecting items for The CREW, and when we saw what they had put together, we were genuinely blown away.

The boxes covered in their drawings, the little messages and the thought that has gone into collecting things for people in our community… it is just beautiful.

What makes this even more special is seeing kids learning from such a young age that we look after our community and we help people who might be doing it tough.

Thank you Goodstart Baldivis for raising such caring little humans, and thank you to every family who got involved and gave so generously.

We absolutely love seeing our community come together like this. 💙

There’s something pretty cool about this one.

A huge thank you to the Kwinana team at Mineral Resources Limited for choosing to direct their Containers for Change funds to The CREW. ❤️

Over the last financial year, the team recycled 12,099 containers, raising $1,209.90 for The CREW.

Think about that for a second. 12,099 containers. 12,099 times someone chose to put a container in the right place rather than send it to landfill. And all those 10c pieces have now become more than $1,200 that can go straight back into supporting people experiencing homelessness and hardship across Rockingham.

We love this kind of giving because it ticks so many boxes. It reduces waste, it looks after our environment, and at the same time it creates a really practical way for our community to invest in people.

Homelessness isn’t something one organisation can fix on its own. It takes businesses, community groups, government, volunteers, donors and everyday people all playing their part.

And sometimes that part really is as simple as putting your empty drink container in the right bin.

We’re incredibly grateful that the MinRes Kwinana team has chosen to keep supporting The CREW through Containers for Change for the next 12 months too. That means the little 10c decisions happening at their workplace will continue to add up to something much bigger for our community.

Thank you, Mineral Resources Kwinana. We’re pretty stoked to have you in our corner. ❤️

If your workplace is collecting Containers for Change and you’d like to turn those 10c deposits into something meaningful for people experiencing homelessness in Rockingham, we’d love to hear from you.

And then there was Thursday ❤️

Our final day of Homelessness and Loneliness Week and it was a pretty lovely way to finish the week.

We had breakfast, fresh eggs from Willow Acres , coffee, lots of conversations and, of course, ice cream 😂🍦 A massive thank you to Mrs. Brown's and Mini's Soft Serve for bringing the ice cream in and giving everyone a pretty great way to finish the week.

And a special thank you to Amanda Viviers, who couldn't be with us in person but still wanted to be part of what we were doing. Amanda shared her guides and expertise with us around what Home is... which tied in perfectly with loneliness and connection, and it was such a valuable part of the week.

I think one of the biggest things this week reminded me of is that loneliness doesn't always look like someone sitting by themselves. Sometimes it's the person sitting in a room full of people who still feels completely alone. Sometimes it's someone who has stopped asking for help because they've convinced themselves nobody really cares. Sometimes it's simply needing someone to sit down, have a coffee and actually listen.

That's what we're trying to create at The CREW. A place where people are known, where people aren't judged by their circumstances, and where you can walk through the door and someone knows your name.

So while Homelessness and Loneliness Week might be finished, the work doesn't stop because the calendar says it's Monday.

We'll open the doors. We'll make the coffee, serve breakfast, hand out food, listen and do what we do every week.

Thank you to everyone who helped make it the week that it was. The businesses, organisations, volunteers, donors, community groups and everyone who simply showed up. You helped us remind people that they matter, and that is pretty important. ❤️

Back to it today.

That’s a wrap on Homelessness and Loneliness Week ❤️

Well… what a week. Homelessness and Loneliness Week is officially done, but I think we’re all still recovering from it 😂

Our Community Day was everything we hoped it would be. Good food, coffee, haircuts, ice cream, practical support, lots of conversations and, most importantly, people connecting with people. And we genuinely could not have done it without the incredible people who got behind us.

A massive thank you to Nando's for feeding everyone, Camp Fairbridge for morning tea, toiletries, beanies and socks, Boardwalk Conveyancing for filling our take-home lunch boxes with goodies, HairAid for the free haircuts, of Rockingham – Local Government for providing coffee through Rolling Cafe Mobile Coffee Van Rockingham, Fathom Brewing for fundraising more than enough to cover the coffee and ice cream, Sureway Employment & Training for volunteering on the day and providing toiletries, Specsavers Warnbro for the glasses vouchers, and Cabana Cafe & Bistro for the fresh fruit.

A huge thank you too to the anonymous donors who have been giving regularly every day we were open for the last four weeks, everyone who donated dog food, and the amazing Rockingham community who kept bringing in winter drive donations in the lead-up, including blankets, warm jackets and clothes.

And thank you to everyone who came through our doors during the week. Our friends from City of Rockingham, Liliah Haven The Salvation Army Rockingham, St. Patrick's Community Support Centre, Homeless Healthcare, Palmerston Association and so many others. It means a lot that you continue to show up and support our community.

But honestly, the biggest thank you needs to go to our volunteers.

The people who turn up every single week. The people who cook, clean, sort, pack, drive, serve, listen, make coffee, wash dishes, have the hard conversations and somehow keep everything moving. Most of it happens quietly, without anyone seeing it.

We wish we could name every single one of you, but there are just too many. And there are a few of you who have been absolutely pivotal in the way you lead and serve. The CREW genuinely would not be what it is today without you.

We don't run without you. ❤️

So thank you. To everyone who gave their time, money, food, resources, skills, encouragement or simply showed up.

Homelessness and Loneliness Week may be over, but Homelessness and Loneliness Action doesn't stop.

Neither do we. ❤️

🌿 Tomorrow is the day! 🌿

We can't wait to welcome our community to our Homelessness Week Community Day tomorrow at The CREW.

While Homelessness Week gives us the opportunity to shine a light on the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness, this week also recognises Loneliness Awareness Week. The two go hand in hand.

This year's Homelessness Week theme, Homelessness Action Now, reminds us that creating change starts with connection. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can offer someone is a warm welcome, a shared meal, a friendly conversation and a place where they know they belong.

We are excited to let you know that everything is locked in and ready to go, with one small change. Unfortunately, we won't be able to offer the Doggy Day Spa, and the live music won't be there too this year, but everything else is happening!

Come along and enjoy:
☕ Barista coffee
🍽 A delicious meal
🍦 Ice cream
❤️ Access to practical support, clothing and food hampers
🤝 A welcoming space where everyone belongs

Whether you're coming to enjoy a coffee, connect with others, learn more about what we do, or simply spend time in community, there will be something for everyone.

A quick reminder:
🚗 Our car park will be closed for the event, so please carpool where possible, catch public transport, or allow extra time as parking around the area will be limited.

Thank you to every volunteer, business, donor and supporter who has helped make this day possible. We can't wait to see our community come together to celebrate dignity, respect, hope and connection.

📍 The CREW
5 Cessnock Way, Rockingham
🗓 Monday 3 August
⏰ 9:30am – 12:00pm
Everyone is welcome. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow. 💛

Sometimes, even in the deepest grief, people choose to create hope for others.

Recently, Marta's family visited The CREW Rockingham and entrusted us with a donation of $1,000, collected at her wake. In the midst of unimaginable loss, they chose to honour Marta's memory by helping people in our community who are facing hardship.

We are incredibly humbled by this beautiful act of generosity.

To Marta's family and loved ones, thank you for thinking of others during such a difficult time. Your gift will provide practical support, dignity and hope to people who need it most, and Marta's legacy will continue to touch lives through your kindness.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with everyone who knew and loved Marta. May you find comfort in the love you shared, the memories you hold close, and the lives that will be impacted because of this heartfelt gift.

Thank you for allowing The CREW Rockingham to be part of Marta's legacy.

With love,
The CREW Rockingham 🤍

We are incredibly grateful to once again be selected as Grill'd Rockingham's Local Matters community organisation!

A big thank you to the amazing team at Grill'd Rockingham, and to every single person who popped their token into The CREW Rockingham jar while enjoying a burger. Every vote represents someone choosing to invest back into our local community, and we don't take that support for granted.

Pictured is our amazing Sam, our School Engagement Coordinator and resident all-round superstar, proudly accepting the cheque on behalf of The CREW. Whether she's supporting local schools, helping our team behind the scenes or jumping in wherever she's needed, Sam is a huge part of what makes The CREW what it is.

To the Grill'd Rockingham team, thank you for continuing to champion local organisations and creating opportunities for the community to give back in such a simple but meaningful way.

And to everyone who chose The CREW while dining at Grill'd... thank you. Your support helps us continue providing practical assistance, connection and hope to people across our community. We are honoured that you continue to choose us, time and time again. ❤️