Darlene was “on the verge of tears” when she first walked through the doors of Lou’s Place, a drop-in centre supporting women experiencing homelessness, domestic violence and financial hardship. Homeless and in her 60s, she had been told the Redfern centre might be able to help.
“I was homeless at the time and, being in my 60s, it was very stressful for me,” she said. “I was on the verge of tears until I got here, and when I got here I felt comfort, support on the very first day.”
Within days, she had somewhere safe to sleep. “They got me in contact with the homeless line and I got a place to sleep for a couple of nights, and then another couple of nights,” she said. But the centre proved to be so much more for her. “It feels like another family,” she told 7NEWS.com.au.
The daytime drop-in centre for women in crisis provides meals, showers, laundry, clothing and access to caseworkers for women experiencing homelessness, domestic violence and financial hardship. But CEO Amanda “Mandy” Greaney said what sets the centre apart is not just the support it offers, but how it does it.
“The important difference about Lou’s Place is that all of the things that you may be able to get at other places, you can get at one place, and we’re consistent,” she said. “Women will often say that the minute they walk in the door, they felt welcomed.”
A Place of Safety
For many women, that consistency and sense of safety come at a really critical moment. “When something’s going wrong in a woman’s life, or there’s a crisis, Lou’s Place is very often the first place they’ll head for,” Greaney said. “It’s a place of safety, a place where they feel they’re not going to be judged.”
For Darlene, who is a survivor of domestic violence, that sense of safety was crucial. “Knowing that there’s no men here, I feel so safe,” Darlene said. She said it was the practical support that made an immediate difference. “They help me out with sheets, toiletries, which is very dear these days,” she said. “They’re not intimidating and they’re very supportive in any way, in every way.”
She said the impact has been life-changing. “This place totally saved my life from sleeping in a tent,” she said. “I got a place now and I’ve got furniture and it’s all because I came here to Lou’s Place.” She even rediscovered something she lost decades ago. “They even got me back into doing my art after 30 years,” she said. “I’m getting proud of doing my art, which means I’m getting proud of myself.”
Demand Surging
But keeping services such as Lou’s Place running is becoming increasingly challenging. Across Australia, family and domestic violence remains the leading cause of homelessness for women, with tens of thousands seeking support each year. Greaney said demand has surged at Lou’s Place in recent years.
“When I first started four years ago, 11 was a busy day,” she said. “Now the average is 48 to 50 women a day. Last financial year we had 1200 individual women accessing the service, and it’s already up to 1400 and we’ve got two months to go.”
Cost-of-living pressures are also driving more women through the doors. “Some people will come here and they may have accommodation, but they come here and have a shower because the cost of electricity and all of that sort of stuff is so expensive,” she said. “They’ll come in and have meals so that their grocery bill is much less.”
Darlene understands this struggle too well, telling 7NEWS.com.au she often drops into the centre for lunch because she only has just enough food for dinner. “I came for breakfast this morning because I ran out of bread.” She said for many of the women frequenting the centre, “one meal a day is all they can afford”.
Inside Lou’s Closet
Despite the growing need, Lou’s Place doesn’t receive ongoing government funding and relies heavily on donations and fundraising to operate. That’s where Lou’s Closet comes in. Held once a year, the three-day fashion sale transforms donated designer and high-quality second-hand clothing into vital funding for the centre.
“Lou’s Closet is our only big fundraiser,” Greaney said. “We don’t get any recurrent government funding, so that means that we need to rely completely on the generosity of donors and fundraising.”
Now celebrating its 15th year, Lou’s Closet has grown from a small clothing sale in someone’s home to a major community fashion event. Generously donated pieces from respected Australian designers — Carla Zampatti, Biance Spender, Moss & Spy and Collette Dinnigan — sit alongside carefully curated pre-loved garments from international stars like Prada, Gucci, Armani, Versace and Fendi, offering shoppers access to timeless style.
The funds raised help cover critical gaps. “The closet pays for anything else that we can’t get funding for,” Greaney said. “It might be supporting us to move a woman who is fleeing domestic violence, paying for relocation costs, or putting up a family in emergency accommodation. It’s really critical because it just gives us the ability to continue to deliver the service.”
For shoppers, the event feels worlds away from the realities it supports. When they walk in, Greaney said they are met with “racks and racks and racks of clothes” and a space that feels like “this very high top-notch boutique”. “It feels like you’re walking into this really expensive high-class boutique,” she said.
Greaney said while she wishes services like Lou’s Place weren’t needed, the reality is demand is only increasing. “I wish there wasn’t a need for places like this,” she said. “But places like Lou’s Place are absolutely critical for people.”
For women like Darlene, that support can be the difference between crisis and stability. “This place totally saved my life,” she said.
Lou’s Closet will run from May 1 to 3 at The Tramsheds in Glebe, with $10 entry on Friday and Saturday and free entry on Sunday. Tickets are available via Eventbrite.
