We love to know what people are reading and what to add to our ‘To Be Read’ pile of books. Victoria (Board member) Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng This book is a gripping mystery that focuses on a missing teenage girl in 1970s Ohio. The narrative digs into the complexities of family…
We love to know what people are reading and what to add to our ‘To Be Read’ pile of books. This month, we have books recommendations from staff, volunteers and reader friends. Raj (Board member) Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight This is a candid memoir of Nike…
Footpath Chatter – This month, we spoke to Alison, who coordinates a book club at Northcott public housing estate in inner Sydney. Alison has lived at Northcott for the last 22 of her 83 years. As a retired high school teacher of English, History and Film & television, she is a voracious reader, and has…
We’d like to welcome Raj Pillay as our new Board Member, based in Melbourne. Raj is Senior Legal Counsel at National Australia Bank, and specialises in commercial litigation and regulatory investigations. ‘I joined the board of The Footpath Library because I am passionate about mental health and social change and the two concerns work well…
The Footpath Library is pleased to call IMB Bank Community Foundation supporters in our mobile library service at Martin Place, Sydney, having received funding for the past two years. IMB Bank Community Foundation understands that not-for-profit and volunteer organisations are the backbone of local communities and need financial support to help Australians in their time…
Gini has been a volunteer with The Footpath Library in Melbourne for over two years. Through The Footpath Library, she provides books, glasses and warm clothes to people experiencing homelessness and those who live in public ad social housing. She volunteers because she loves to meet new people and form lasting bonds; she’s also…
Observing a fountain and watching the water trickle down; imagining being a detective and traversing the city to see its secrets: according to the Daily Jstor, people experiencing homelessness use their free time in creative and inspiring ways. “Books put me in touch with minds greater than my own that I will never…
Like any part of the body, the brain needs exercise to keep it strong, happy and healthy. Reading is one way to keep your mind active and has been shown to benefit mental health, improve memory and lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life. Books offer something for everyone. Whether you’re…
The volunteer team behind the mobile library services in Perth continue to be continues to be the driving force that ensures people experiencing homelessness can access books and reading glasses, according to The Footpath Library’s new Perth Programs Manager, Camille Grubba. “The volunteer team in Perth is amazing,” explains Camille. “Our volunteers have stuck through…
After receiving the title of World’s Most Locked Down City, Melbourne is starting to move again and that includes The Footpath Library. The need for social connection and conversation, as well as books, reading glasses and beanies has never been greater, and thanks to The Footpath Library volunteers, people experiencing homelessness are able to get…
Apart from running our regular mobile library outreach at Martin Place, The Footpath Library is currently piloting a monthly service, The Hub, in Sydney inner west, where people experiencing homelessness or disadvantage can access a range of support services. The Hub aims to provide a welcoming, safe space and a ‘one-stop-shop’ to ease the challenges…
People often make unfair assumptions about homeless people but homelessness happens for a variety of reasons and happens to people in all walks of life. Hollywood stars Hallee Berry, Jennifer Lopez and Sylvester Stallone are just some of the famous faces who were homeless at a stage in their lives. We understand that the needs…
I rang the number on my mobile associated with a text message I had received moments before. A young female voice with a Scandinavian accent answered and identified herself as Anna. “where are you” I asked. “I am outside the cafe she replied. I was too. I scanned the lunchtime crowd and spotted a fair-haired…
Reading is one of life’s simple pleasures. There is nothing like getting lost in a book and becoming so immersed in a story that the characters start to become real. You become so involved it is almost like you are part of the story. It doesn’t matter where you read the book, this fictional little…