It all started in 2014 when Donna Stolzenberg had the simple idea of providing 50 sleeping bags to the homeless. Her small act of kindness blossomed into the National Homeless Collective (NHC), an Australian charity that now makes a difference every day and is dedicated to providing solutions to issues stemming from homelessness, domestic violence and social disadvantage.
The impact of that single act was so profound that within eight weeks, Donna had collected over 3,500 donated sleeping bags and started distributing them from a trailer on weekends. It only took a few months for her initiative to grow so large that she quit her position at the Australian Tax Office. She knew this was going to be a lifelong commitment and Donna was ready to put her heart and soul into it as founder and managing director of her newly built organisation the National Homeless Collective.
The NHC has a unique spot in society, primarily due to Donna’s firsthand experience of overcoming disadvantage through homelessness. Being a member of the Ngatjumay and Mirning people, she understands and is connected to the systematic issues of Indigenous Australians, who are largely ignored by councils and governments alike.
Donna’s selflessness and generosity have provided real solutions to some of Australia’s recent crises, including helping women escape households ridden with domestic violence, victims of bushfires and those who were under lockdown in Melbourne during COVID-19.
That’s not all. Donna’s unwavering leadership and tenacity have enabled the NHC to branch into six sub-charities including The Period Project, The School Project, The Plate Up Project, Sleeping Bags For Homelessness, Secret Womens Business and The Kala Space, an op shop in Melbourne’s Brunswick East, employing women affected by domestic violence or homelessness.
Donna at The Kala Space in Brunswick East, Melbourne
In 2021, Donna was awarded the honour of Victorian Australian Of The Year. However, her success, status and respect don’t deviate her from her duties on-ground. They never did.
One of her many efforts includes erasing the stigma around homelessness and busting myths about its causes and effects. She pursues this by regularly speaking to schools, communities and on the radio; after all, why should those who are disadvantaged be treated any differently? Peeling back layers of someone’s story sheds much-needed light on an important topic that affects thousands of Australians daily.
Donna speaking on Triple R Radio
We are blessed to have the warmth of our beds every night and Donna has made it her mission to make sure nobody is deprived of such a simple yet necessary element of everyday living.
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Learn more about the National Homeless Collective and Donna below.
