Crowdfunding Campaign Launch

​Today I launched our very first crowdfunding campaign to help support our pilot project;
https://chuffed.org/project/podsforthepeople
I have been in consultation with a business owner who has a set of moulds for fabricating fibreglass capsules, or pods. He has used them to manufacture food trailers, but they can also be used for sleeping pods or caravan capsules. He has offered these moulds to us to purchase, hence the crowdfunding campaign to raise the funds.
Stage One of the project is to establish a workshop to make sleeping pods for homeless women. The intent is to work closely with charitable organisations to donate a pod or community of pods to an area.
Stage Two of the project is even more exciting…

On any given night in Australia over 50 000 women are homeless. One in two women are turned away from crisis centres forcing them to sleep rough, increasing their chances of experiencing violence, robbery and sexual assault.
It’s a really scary place to be, on the streets without any shelter. Our sleeping pods can save lives.
We want to establish a manufacturing workshop to develop and provide accommodation and emergency shelter for those in need. Once established our workshop will provide training, work opportunities and assistance to the disadvantaged. Stage One of the project will be to provide the completed pods as emergency accommodation for women in need in regional and rural Australia. With Stage 2 expected to provide micro-business opportunities and mentoring to women to foster self-esteem and financial independence.

Container of Dreams aim is to build these temporary housing options while continuing to work towards our long-term goal of providing permanent, affordable housing to the disadvantaged.

A similar project piloted in the UK has seen the pods hailed as "life-savers" for the support they've given rough sleepers in the city.
Helen Lloyd-Jeng, from charity Amazing Grace Spaces - says the innovative solution have helped save lives: "The pods have saved six people. That is amazing. It gives us a sense of purpose and shows that the pods really do work."

Women are the fastest growing group of homeless in Australia, particularly those over the age of 50, which has seen a 31 per cent increase since 2011. Women experiencing homelessness as a result of domestic violence is escalating in Australia with temporary accommodation currently at critical levels. Sleeping rough increases chances of becoming victims of crime including experiencing violence, robbery and sexual assault. Many homeless women are vulnerable and live in fear on the streets.

Here’s what we’re doing about it
Our ‘Sleeping Pods’ will provide much needed safety and security to these women. We are going to create modular sleeping pods to offer as a safe haven to women and others who are sleeping rough so they can #dosswithdignity.

And how it’s going to change the world?
It may not change the world but it will change the world for one person...
...or two, or three, or six... (you get the idea...)
Together we can change their world!
You can join us
The production moulds cost $12000. We want to raise this so that we can secure their purchase. Help us raise the $12K to kick start our project by supporting our campaign.
Any additional funds raised will go towards workshop setup, tools and equipment.
Please support our crowdfunding campaign
https://chuffed.org/project/podsforthepeople
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