NOBODY knew how the Shoalhaven Shark Tank idea was going to go. It was a gamble, but nobody expected it to be such an overwhelming success.
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More than 140 people attended and within the first 30 minutes three organisations had their wishes granted, the excitement was building and the bids were flowing freely.
The event, hosted by the Shoalhaven Homelessness and Good Living Conditions Interagency, ran similar to the Ten Network’s Shark Tank program.
Shoalhaven homelessness service providers had five minutes to pitch an idea or need to local business “sharks”.
The “sharks” then decided which ideas to support.
In Homelessness Prevention Week the theme Step Up To End Homelessness seemed fitting, as local business owners put their money down in support of struggling local organisations.
After a sleepless night in the lead-up, co-ordinator Penni Wildi from Southern Cross Community Housing was excited by the number of people who stepped up to help.
“I’m blown away, this is fantastic,” she said.
Evie Rankmore from Shoalhaven’s Supported Accommodation and Homelessness Services is the caseworker at Nowra’s women’s refuge. Her example was a similar theme throughout the afternoon.
She was only hoping to raise money for soft mats to put around a children’s cubby house in the yard of the women’s refuge, but she walked away with pledges of funds to buy a computer, desk, DVD player and children’s books.
“I’m thrilled to bits. We would have been happy just to get enough money to buy the mats,” she said.
“This is fantastic to see so many local people willing to support groups like ours.”
It was a similar story for other organisations. The Homeless Hub received enough support to buy tents and sleeping bags for the people they couldn’t house.
Southern Youth and Family Services received money to buy awards of acknowledgement for their clients who have small wins in their struggle for a better life. The requests continued and the financial support flowed freely.
The connections made from the Shark Tank are expected to lead to many long-term commitments of support from local businesses to agencies helping Shoalhaven’s homeless.