Every once in a while, you come across someone who isn’t afraid to be different, to make a change and to stand up for those who may not be able to do it for themselves.
Those people are usually so incredibly rare you can’t help but be in awe of them. They make you want to be a better person and watch the world through a different lens.
For us, we disproved the theory of lightening not striking twice in the same place the day we met Sunny Street, because there wasn’t just one rarity, there were two. Dressed in their pink and yellow Sunny Street attire, with a light and energy so bright, the sun paled in comparison. Dr Nova Evans and Sonia Goodwin are quite possibly the most inspiring, hilarious, selfless and colourful people we’ve ever met, and if you’ve ever wondered what angels would look like if they walked on earth, then head over to sunnystreet.org We were fortunate enough to meet Nova and Sonia through our involvement in the inaugural Australian Health Accelerator program on the Sunshine Coast. It was love at first sight for Cogniom and Sunny Street and I think our missions will forever be entwined in support, bright colours, friendship and guidance for each other.
So what is Sunny Street? Medical Director, Dr Nova Evans and Nursing Director Sonia Goodwin came together to create mobile health clinics for those suffering homelessness and vulnerability. They are on a mission to help this community access healthcare and support networks and provide them with a safe space to gain the help they need. Having been to a clinic ourselves, we’ve seen first hand the positive impact Sunny Street is creating. For some, seeing the team may be the highlight of their day and you can see the mutual trust and respect that has been built which is just beautiful to witness.
Through our friendship with Sunny Street, we were introduced to Norman McGillivray from Beddown, who with his own personal story driving him, is on his own mission to make a positive impact and change for those without a safe place to sleep.
It is no secret that a good night’s sleep can make a huge difference to your health and mental well being, and for those sleeping rough, the negative impact of not enjoying a restful sleep is astounding, with the potential of shortening the average lifespan by half.
Norm is on a mission, and is another one of those incredibly inspiring souls that will absolutely change the lives of so many. Beddown has partnered with Secure Parking to transform empty carparks into pop up accommodation facilities at night, allowing those without a roof to have a safe space and enjoy a restful night’s sleep. What Norm has achieved in the lead up to the Beddown launch on September 29th is nothing short of a miracle. The partnerships and collaborations he has created will provide the homeless community the opportunity to benefit from some of the most basic of services that a lot of us take for granted.
Follow his story at beddown.org.au
Sunny Street and Beddown are real life heroes and prove everyday that you don’t need a cape to be one. They inspired us to launch our Cogniom Community Projects initiative and we are so thrilled at the opportunity to play a part in their journey.
Not only do we strive to achieve this with our business offerings, but it’s also deeply ingrained in our company culture and team values.
At Cogniom, we are passionate about helping others and making a difference for the betterment of all.
Cogniom will be working with Sunny Street and Beddown to collect data surrounding the services they are providing and present it in a meaningful way to measure the positive impact they are having on the community. These insights will be invaluable to each organisation as they continue to grow and understand the needs of the lives they touch.
The statistics around homelessness are staggering. Did you know there are 1116,427 people homeless in Australia on any given night? That homelessness has risen by 13.7% in just 5 years? And its not just young people suffering, with Australians aged 55+ being the quickest growing age bracket for homelessness. (reference). Even big corporates are starting to sit up and take notice. “Rethinking the Cost of Homelessness”
The fact is, any one of us or our loved ones could just as easily become part of these statistics. Organisations like Sunny Street and Beddown are working hard to help our most vulnerable, to change the landscape and the unfortunate stigma that surrounds the homeless population. We as a society have the opportunity everyday to be heroes ourselves and play a role in changing the lives of so many.
Cogniom Community Projects is nestled very closely in our hearts and we hope you’ll help support and follow the journeys of these amazing organisations.
