Orange Sky founders Nicholas Marchesi and Lucas Patchett started in Brisbane in 2014 with an old van and a couple of machines. Photo: Orange Sky.
With the recent outpouring of support for Wagga’s rough sleepers in Wilks Park, Orange Sky is preparing to launch a “Laundromat of the Future” and is looking for volunteers.
At the end of the month, the not-for-profit will roll out a free washing service and offer a listening ear to people experiencing homelessness.
“Parts of Wagga are some of the most disadvantaged in Australia, in terms of socioeconomics, so it’s always been on our radar,” operations manager Ryan Salzke said.
“We’ve had lots of people reach out over the years.”
Orange Sky was the world’s first free mobile laundry and shower founded in 2014 by 20-something best mates Nicholas Marchesi and Lucas Patchett.
“They originally came up with the idea after spending a bit of time serving on their food van at school and were just thinking about other ways to support people who were sleeping rough,” Ryan said.
Starting in Brisbane, the pair installed a couple of washing machines and dryers in the back of their van and began travelling around to wash and dry clothes for free.
But it turned out that clean clothes was just the beginning.
“What we figured out is that people are ultimately looking for somebody to be connected to,” Ryan said.
“The common denominator of the human experience is that people just want to feel heard, understood and accepted and that happens through conversation.
“So when the washing is on, we sit down on six orange chairs and have a yarn.”
The six orange chairs are now at the core of Orange Sky’s model. Photo: Orange Sky.
Ryan said the service had also been used during natural disasters and is not limited to rough-sleepers.
“Homelessness looks different to different people and that’s everything from sleeping under a bridge or in your car to couch surfing or not having a permanent roof over your head,” he said.
“Some people just can’t afford a washing machine or with the natural disasters might be temporarily displaced or facing hard times.
“We don’t discriminate against anyone that wants to use our service.”
From one old van in Queensland, Orange Sky now operates 36 different services across 25 locations around the country and in New Zealand.
Ryan said the operation has diversified to include both mobile services and partnerships with local businesses.
“We’ve had lots of regional areas similar to Wagga where they’re just not quite big enough to warrant the investment of a van,” he explained.
“Essentially we make a connection with the local laundromat and run our shifts in partnership with them.
“Then of course we bring along our six chairs and use that as our place for connection and free washing.”
If you have the time and a desire to help, get in touch with Orange Sky. Photo: Orange Sky.
In Wagga, Orange Sky has partnered with the local Splash Laundrette laundromats, which gives them a base of operations and allows them to wash larger quantities of clothes.
Ryan said the critical thing they needed now was volunteers prepared to take on one shift a week for a minimum of six months.
“If you’re someone that likes connecting with people, wants to give back to your community and is happy to make a commitment to helping us out for a period of time then head to our website,” he said.
“We’re always looking for more volunteers, and particularly as we launch into Wagga, we’re looking for those awesome people in your community to come and help.”
Orange Sky’s Laundromat of the Future service will kick off in late July.
If you want to get involved, head to the website to sign-up as a volunteer.
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