Circular support for asylum seekers
Around 4,000 refugees settle in Victoria every year, many arriving with only the clothes on their backs.
West Welcome Wagon was founded in 2013 to support asylum seekers in Melbourne’s western suburbs to build their lives again, providing them with everything from food and furniture to appliances and school supplies.
Chairman Chris Scerri says the families they work with are often starting from scratch.
“Sometimes we’ll go and visit them the day after they move in and it’s just empty,” Chris says.
“You walk into a house in Melbourne’s winter and all you find is a wooden floor and they’re desperate.”
While providing invaluable humanitarian relief, West Welcome Wagon is also helping to divert goods from landfill.
More than 90% of the items given to asylum seekers are donated by individuals or businesses and would otherwise be thrown away.
West Welcome Wagon is often a last resort for both asylum seekers and donors who are keen to find new homes for their household goods.
“It’s not just our clients who need us,” Chris says. “People call up and say: ‘the Salvos don’t want my furniture, will you take it?’
“Or it might be clothing from Cotton On that’s end of line. It’s high quality, but they don’t want it because some new stuff has come through.”
West Welcome Wagon diverted up to 12,000 items from landfill across the 21-22 financial year, including 294 bed frames, 348 chairs and 366 kitchen appliances.
With support from Sustainability Victoria, they have been able to reach out to even more businesses looking to offload quality goods.
“Thanks to the grant, we’ve been able to recruit a new staff member for 2 or 3 days a week and she contacts other groups who are looking to divert landfill."
“We’ve been able to source lots and lots of stock from new partners who are keen to divert through us.
“Being able to get donations from manufacturers and retailers who are trying to move quality stock that would also end up in landfill is really helpful to our clients.”
As a result of the increase in donations, West Welcome Wagon has been able to hold more of what they call reach-out days when asylum seekers are invited to come to the warehouse and help themselves to whatever they need rather than make a request for specific items.
Community engagement officer Fay Salem-Demezieres says the monthly reach-out days are a real highlight.
“We’ve been able to get loads and loads of toys, so watching the excitement of the kids is amazing,” Fay says.
“The last thing families have money for is toys, so a lot of these kids have nothing. Watching them walk away with scooters and big teddy bears and coloured pencils and fairy wings, it’s gorgeous.
“They’re so thankful for what they receive.”
Through the Circular Economy Communities Fund, delivered on behalf of the Victorian Government, Sustainability Victoria is proud to support organisations like West Welcome Wagon which is helping to reduce our material footprint while providing a valuable community service.
If you have items you’d like to give to West Welcome Wagon, visit their website to read their donation guidelines.