Orange Sky Laundry
“In your love, my salvation lies” and “I had a dream I stood beneath an orange sky, with my brother standing by,” are the lyrics Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett base their core values of their social welfare service, Orange Sky Laundry on.
‘Orange Sky’ by Alexi Murdoch was the inspiration behind the company’s name. According to Lucas the song is about helping your brothers and sisters out which is exactly what the friends from Brisbane are doing in Brisbane and Melbourne with their mobile laundry service for the homeless.
Lucas and Nic met in high school in the 8th grade. It was through their connection in high school and their involvement with the homeless community through a high school food van they first became interested in the social welfare of the homeless community.
The idea of a mobile laundry service was lingering through the later years of high school but it wasn’t until Lucas returned from travelling overseas when he and Nic sat down and decided there was no better time to start up the self-funded project.
At first, Nic and Lucas didn’t know if their idea would work but less than a year on they are overwhelmed at the support they have received and the amount of communities that have contacted them, crying out for their services.
Since last September, corporate and public donations as well as dedicated volunteers have made it possible for Nic and Lucas to expand their services from Brisbane to Melbourne. It’s only been a week of trialing in Melbourne but within this time Lucas and Nic have seen the desperate need of Orange sky laundry in Melbourne.
“In just a week we have already washed 30 loads,” Lucas said.
Orange sky laundry service isn’t just about proving a place for the less fortunate to wash their clothes. It’s about restoring dignity and respect for the homeless by providing a space where they can meet, wash their clothes, have a meal and chat with volunteers and other people in the community.
“It’s a twofold experience, there’s the washing service but also the opportunity to communicate and have a non-judgmental chat with community members.”
“It’s also about restoring dignity and eliminating the risk of disease,” Lucas said.
Operating twice a week outside of St Marys in Fitzroy, Melbourne, Nic and Lucas are trialing other areas in Melbourne across the coming weeks. The next stop on their list of cities to help is the possibility of Sydney.