A new women's shelter in Hobart has received a half-a-million-dollar donation of furniture from a local hotel. The furniture and other items would otherwise have been destined for landfill but will instead provide comfort to women and children at Amelie House.
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00:00This furniture is headed to a new home.
00:06From a hotel on Hobart's waterfront to nearby women's shelter, Amelie House.
00:11It's very emotional, we feel very proud.
00:14Two thousand items from couches, TVs and beds to kitchen equipment and toiletries were set
00:20to be thrown out as the hotel undergoes a facelift.
00:24Instead they'll get a new life and Amelie House's operators can extend their services
00:29with money saved on furnishing the shelter.
00:31It makes no sense for a woman and a child to be living in a car simply because they
00:36can't access safe housing.
00:39Amelie House is at the site of the old Bethlehem House which was previously a men's shelter.
00:45While the site awaits redevelopment, the St Vincent de Paul Society has turned it into
00:50transitionary housing for up to 43 women facing homelessness.
00:55What we're looking at is having corporate sponsors, business partners, people coming
00:59forward like this, making use of assets and stepping up and being socially responsible.
01:04It's all of our problem if we're not housing all of our community.
01:07It's estimated around 604 women in Tasmania are becoming homeless each year.
01:13Tasmania has a long waiting list for public and social housing and many emergency accommodation
01:19services are at capacity.
01:21So new developments can't come soon enough.
01:24Last year, the Hobart City Council voted to approve a new development here on Argyle
01:29Street.
01:30It'll provide housing for 38 older women in need.
01:33But, as the housing crisis continues in Tasmania, it'll barely make a dent in the growing need
01:39for affordable housing for women.
01:41A drop in the ocean, it's one of those things, it's a pity that there is a need, but we just
01:48do every little bit we can.
01:50The state government has committed $1.2 million to supporting Amelie House.