FRINGE WORLD pulls curtain back on homelessness

ARTRAGE and Ruah Community Services have today announced a new partnership between FRINGE WORLD Festival and Ruah Community Services. The partnership will focus on increasing community awareness of homelessness and the part Western Australians can all play in helping those in need.

Ruah Community Services delivers wrap-around support for people experiencing homelessness, family and domestic violence, mental health challenges and legal advice and support. Through their subsidiary Suitsme, they also provide NDIS mental health services and recovery coaching. 

Every night in Western Australia more than a thousand people sleep rough on the streets, most of them sheltering in the city’s alleys, doorways and parks. An additional 9,000 people are considered homeless, often couch-surfing and without a safe place to call home. The number of people experiencing homelessness is climbing, compounded by a critical housing shortage and rising cost of living. 

Ruah Community Services Acting General Manager Housing and Homelessness, Fiona Black, says that the Ruah team is currently seeing a new wave of people experiencing homelessness. “At the Ruah Centre, our drop-in support centre, we have recently seen up to 120 people a day seeking emergency relief and connection to services."

“We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of our corporate partners and community supporters whose donations enable us to continue providing the critical care that our State’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged people need”, Fiona added. 

ARTRAGE CEO Sharon Burgess acknowledged the incredible support Ruah provides to empower vulnerable and disadvantaged people and is proud to be using FRINGE WORLD Festival to advocate for the vital services that Ruah delivers. 

“FRINGE WORLD is an event that brings together people from across our community and by partnering with Ruah Community Services we can help bring awareness and raise funds to support Ruah's commitment to ending poverty and social disadvantage in WA.” Ms Burgess said.  

There will be a number of awareness activations that take place throughout the 2023 FRINGE WORLD Festival. This includes the Ruah Community Weekend held on 2-5 February 2023 which will see fundraising through a Rooftop Movies screening and multiple public donation points throughout the Festival site. 

Audiences will be encouraged to donate to Ruah when they purchase a Festival ticket from the box office, website or FRINGE WORLD app over the fundraising weekend.  You can find out more information here.

If you or someone you know are experiencing homelessness, family and domestic violence or mental health challenges and need support, contact 13 Ruah (13 78 24).