Orange Sky Laundry Essay

An everyday hero can be defined as someone who sees a need and goes and does something about it without seeking any benefits for themselves. For many years there have been food vans to feed those who are hungry, charities to distribute items of need and shelter to those who are going through a rough patch. But what no one had thought of was a mobile washing service to not only wash the clothes of but to restore respect to the homeless.

The two creators behind this mobile laundry service, Orange Sky Laundry, and the most recent recipients of the Young Australian of the Year Award are Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett. These two gentlemen are certainly great examples of what is an everyday hero is through their actions of establishing the world’s

first laundry washing van which inside 2 years of operations has washed 265,745 Kilograms of free laundry across the country with the aim of restoring respect to these members of the community.
The idea of starting Orange Sky Laundry was a result of their exposure to the issue of homelessness at a young age through participating in a food van run by the school.

Partaking in this helped them to see the world from a different perspective and just how much of a problem homelessness in Australia is with 105,000 Australians per night being homeless. It was from this experience that both Nic and Matt wanted to do their little bit and from this Orange sky laundry has evolved.

Through Nic and Matt’s creative thinking and hard work, Orange Sky Laundry has expanded to ten vans providing a basic human rights in currently 72 locations across the country. Through something simple, having clean and fresh clothes, it allows for respect for these people going through a hard time to be restored, increased health standards and hygiene and a reduced strain on

resources.
However, whilst the laundry machine, detergents and dryers are crucial in providing a service which is crucial in raising the living standards of the homeless, they aren’t the most important items which the vans carry. Instead it is six orange chairs. These chairs foster conversations between volunteers and the people on the street. Despite is being such a simple item, much like the laundry service they offer, they allow these individuals, who are often struggling, to open and tell someone about what they are going through. This allows, our friends on the street, (as Nic and Matt call the homeless) to feel included and to connect back to the community. In spite of the countless loads of washing, it is through these non-judgemental, positive and genuine conversations which is where the service makes the biggest impact.
However, for these two everyday heroes, they are continuing their good work through expanding this fantastic initiative into more locations across the country.

But they are also working on establishing Orange Sky Showers to provide yet another basic human need to the homeless. Working towards their mission of connecting the community through restoring respect for the homeless.

In today’s contemporary world what is meant to be a hero is often mistaken by that portrayed in the media, through film and books. Far too often people think of heroes only as someone who risks there life to save another. But a hero is simply just someone who goes out of their way to do something for someone else and make a positive difference in their lives.

Nic and Matt certainly meet this description of a hero as through their work they are making a huge difference in the lives of the homeless and through encouraging others to help as well. Thorough there work they are helping to not only improve the lives of the homeless through allowing them easy access to basic human needs but also by working to restore respect for these members of the

community.

The work and life of Nicholas Marchesi and Lucas Patchett’s clearly demonstrates the Gospel Values of community, justice and service. These Gospel values are evident throughout the bible. Matthew 25:35-40 states “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, …..I was naked and you clothed me,” while Philippians 2:4 states “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Finally Acts 20:35 states that It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ These passages emphasis helping those who are in need. Through their acts of charity, restoring respect and creating a sense of belonging for the homeless have certainly Nic and Lucas have embodied the Gospel values of community, justice and service.
Nic and Lucas can certainly be considered as an everyday hero through making a basic human right more accessible to the people experiencing homelessness. Through being able to provide fresh clean clothes they have been and continue to be able to restore respect for and connect the homeless back into the community. These two individuals exemplify how being an everyday hero isn’t all about a brave action/s but rather simply someone who makes a positives impact on another person’s life.