Coats to keep the homeless warm

For the third year in a row, Canterbury League Club has donated $2000 to Order of Malta’s ‘Coats for the Homeless’ program.

The donation is enough to buy 60 of the specially-designed, warm shower-proof coats which, in early July, have been distributed to some of the 25,000 Australians in NSW sleeping rough on the streets.

This year, the Order has distributed 2,800 coats across Australia – a 12 per cent increase on last year’s number. The design for the coats arose from feedback received from interviews with people who have experienced life on the streets. The coats are black to be less noticeable in dark alleys and parks, thus reducing the chances of being assaulted; they have internal pockets for valuables; and are portable and mobile.

“These coats can represent a lifeline to those living on the streets – it keeps them dry and comfortable, gives them shelter and can be the difference between keeping warm or freezing in the night,” said Dr George Peponis OAM, Chairman of Canterbury League Club.