There are many reasons why someone finds themselves homeless. These reasons are never good. Domestic violence, divorce, mental health issues, drug and alcohol addiction, loss of work, injury or illness. Homelessness is a by-product of unfortunate life circumstances and it can happen to anyone.

As a community, we can all do something to assist our fellow community members, particularly in their time of need. Below are just a few organisations that support. Please consider becoming a volunteer or donating. All efforts, even small ones, are so appreciated by those working tirelessly to assist others.

Thanks in advance,

Dr Gregory P Smith

A few organisations that I support

Fred’s Place, Tweed Heads

Fred’s Place is the Tweed region’s homeless support service, supported by St Vincent de Paul Society and community donations. Fred’s Place offers a home-like environment for persons to drop in, do laundry, have a shower or a hot meal and a cuppa, chill out in a warm and safe environment and access support services such as counselling, referrals to emergency housing, Legal Aid, doctors and much more.

As a charity, we have a unique history. Signal Flare was the dream of a homeless man who was affectionately known as Grant the Polite Guy, due to his lovely manner as he went about his days selling The Big Issue. From his meagre income as a Big Issue vendor he bought other homeless people a meal. They would eat together while he listened to their stories and helped them where he could. His days were full and busy, partly selling the Big Issue, but mostly helping others. Laying on “his” park bench at night, he dreamed of founding a charity to help homeless people and others in need because via a charity he could do more to help. He even had a name for it: Signal Flare, because when you are in need and throw out a signal flare, help will find you. And here we are, with four BBQs for the Homeless and Others in Need per year since 2012…

Signal Flare comes from the heart of lived experience and supports equality, social inclusion, dignity and respect. Our passion is to create a cohesive community of which we are all a part, regardless of where we sleep at night; a community where our homeless, too, feel they belong. This is often a prerequisite for them to feel hopeful, empowered and encouraged to make positive change to their lives. Central to the cohesion of our community is the community participation for our events; local businesses, caterers, community groups, support services and individual volunteers all donate their skills, expertise, time and effort to our BBQs.

Our events offer the safe and informal space of a park for our guests to connect with support services, volunteers and each other. Everything at our BBQs is free for everyone. We offer an amazing BBQ lunch, and our guests have the opportunity to have a haircut, a health check, massage, shower and laundry, to name but a few. They become new owners of clothes, shoes, toiletries, children’s toys, non-perishable foods and more that are donated by the community. But just as important as these material basics of life are the immaterial ones. Guests enjoying human interaction, gaining enough confidence to make eye contact and have a conversation, walking straighter. Sometimes our BBQs are a starting point for people to change their lives. Remarks such as “I never knew that such good people existed in this world” arrive deep in our souls. Or the lady who came running and catapulted herself into my arms crying, saying “Thank you for giving me the flyer yesterday. I am so glad I came, I’m having such a good time”. For everyone who volunteers our events are an eye opener. Many told me they will forever remember the stories shared with them, and the sheer gratitude and appreciation of our guests for receiving life’s basics as well as kindness and humanity. Many volunteers gain new perspectives around their own lives and a growing understanding of the lives of others. They often bring their children to volunteer; no one is too small to help. At our BBQs our guests and volunteers come closer together, they share their time, there is more insight and less judgment, and our community becomes more cohesive one BBQ at a time.

We were so humbled and grateful when Dr Gregory Smith accepted the invitation to become our Patron and also to become a member of our Circle of Inspiration: people who have overcome homelessness, are doing well in their lives, share their lived experience and offer our guests peer support, hope and inspiration at our events. We discussed the ideas over a coffee in Burleigh Heads in January 2019, and in June that year Gregory attended his first Signal Flare BBQ. Signal Flare and Gregory proved to be a perfect fit. Over the years Signal Flare has become a beautiful community with many of our contributors, other volunteers and guests from all walks of life returning over the years and no doubt taking their experiences with them and sharing them with others. Gregory has firmly become a much-loved member of that community as well, and we can’t wait to see him at our next BBQ!

For more information or if you’d like to assist, please contact us on contact@signalflare.org.au