How We Work
We use the money we raise to increase our sleepbus fleet and to provide safe sleeps to people in need around Australia. We monitor and track everything to ensure that every dollar is accounted for and then provide reports back to our donors.
Click to learn about our approach, our solutions and our partners that help make it all possible.
Our Journey
We’re passionate about solving the rough sleep crisis in Australia, using 100% of all public donations to fund projects, and proving where every dollar goes with photos, locations and live data. Here’s the journey since we started.
2016
After a year of research and development, we launched a crowdfunding campaign to test the idea on gofundme. It was a global hit, reaching our funding goal in just 4 days.
The overwhelming support of the sleepbus concept, the first of it’s kind in the world, meant it was time to build the prototype and that’s exactly what Simon Rowe the founder did... in his backyard.
2017
After a massive effort, the very first sleepbus was completed and ready to begin controlled testing of the prototype to make sure it worked as intended.
2018
With phase one of the strategic plan complete, it was time to look at revising the model and expansion. Reliant on public donations, with no government funding, we got creative and forged ahead with phase two of the strategic plan; warehouse, two more sleepbus and corporate sponsors.
sleepbus® wins the Telstra Business Awards 2017 Victorian Charity of the Year.
FREE WAREHOUSE! After a radio interview with Steve Price and Tim Reid, we were introduced to property company Cadence who offered us free space to work out of.
We sign some awesome corporate sponsors;
East Malvern Bendigo Bank
ResMed
Beauty’s Got Soul
2019
Since last year we’ve had to move warehouses, but our new space is still free and awesome.
Laundry Solutions Australia generously donated 3 commercial washer/dryer machines for our onsite laundry.
Westernport Roadlines donated another bus to be converted to our onsite depot, complete with laundry, storage and a space for volunteers to hang out.
Martin Waslander Plumbing made sure we had water at the warehouse. Add Plumbing and Gas , O’Briens Glass & Electrical have made sure the depot bus is ready for action.
Introduction, campaign and build of the pink sleepbus begins.
With the increase in women and their children fleeing domestic violence, we’ve decided to build two new sleepbus just for them; operated by women, for women.
