Orange Sky provides practical support and connection
Meet Michelle and Mike, two volunteers with Orange Sky. Their efforts supporting people with free laundry, showers and a cuppa are rewarded in many small ways.
Meet Orange Sky tūao, Michelle. Her commitment to the kaupapa is deeply personal, having experienced two years of secondary homelessness while relying on couch surfing and other temporary accommodation. Now a Team Leader and Service Coordinator, Michelle dedicates a tremendous 20 hours each week to powering Orange Sky in Ōtautahi, Christchurch.
"Once I saw the difference a friendly face, a hot shower and clean, dry clothes can make to a person's life, I was committed. We call the people who use Orange Sky our friends, regardless of where they've come from or what their circumstances are - there is no judgment or 'othering' under our gazebo. We see a lot of our friends several times a week, they come to shower and use the laundry but more importantly, for camaraderie and connection with people who care about them. We laugh and we cry with them. Some of our friends keep showing up long after they've found housing for this very reason," Michelle shared.
She believes Orange Sky "heals from the inside out" by providing a safe place for connection. She sees that the trust built under the gazebo often becomes the bridge to broader community support. By strengthening relationships with community partners like Housing First and City Mission, Michelle helps friends and whānau find the confidence to access professional help they may have otherwise avoided. Whether she’s celebrating a friend finding housing or listening to a friend practice their English, Michelle knows that you can never truly know the experiences of a person doing it tough until you sit down for non-judgemental, genuine kōrero.
Mike found Orange Sky in mid-2024 at a local market in Napier, where new volunteers were needed to join a new shift in Hawke’s Bay. He was immediately captured by the enthusiastic and caring nature of the recruitment team, and after undertaking both online and practical training, Mike joined the Wednesday afternoon shift team in Hastings. Over time, he has stepped up to become a Shift Team Leader and an Associate Regional Coordinator.
"What a great experience it has been. I have had the opportunity to mix with teams ofvolunteers (both Orange Sky and other supporting services) who devote time, energy and empathy to a large group of very vulnerable people. Our group of wash day friends continue to amaze me with their personal stories of both joyful and sad experiences and yet remain genuinely grateful for our washing provision and kōrero."
After every shift, Mike leaves heartened by observing simple, powerful acts by friends. He recalls a young woman, five months pregnant, sitting and quietly taking in the comfort of her pile of freshly washed and dried clothes, and an older man carefully separating his laundry into light and dark piles, ready for the wash. He sees friends looking after one another by sharing clothing and bedding, or facilitating medical care. On one occasion, he even received a bag of Māori rēwena bread floaters from a friend who simply remembered Mike mentioning that he liked them. It's simple moments like these, Mike says, that have made his time volunteering so worthwhile.