Empowering Young People through HoMie VIP Days: Creating Connections and Building Dignity

 At HoMie,we are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of young people affected by homelessness or hardship. To achieve this, we continue to deliver our innovatie ‘HoMie VIP Day.’ These special days are designed to treat young people as the VIPs they truly are, offering them a unique experience to increase confidence, social inclusion and connection to community.

HoMie VIP Days go beyond just providing material goods. It’s a dignified shopping experience, where young people select brand new HoMie clothing, fresh haircuts, manicures, and self care packs. We firmly believe that these experiences, combined with the joy of connecting with community, can make a significant positive difference.

One of our key impact programs at HoMie is to create a dignified shopping experience for our VIP shoppers. We hope that our VIP shoppers feel valued, respected, and included. By providing an opportunity to choose their own clothes and personalising them through creative designs, we hope to empower young people to express their unique style and foster a feeling of self-worth.

During the recent Reconciliation Week, held on May 31st, 2023, we were honoured to collaborate with two remarkable First Nations community organisations, Birribi YSAS and Bunjilwarra YASAS, along with Melbourne City Mission. Together, we welcomed a total of 23 young people to our HoMie VIP Program, contributing to a grand total of 2,044 VIP shoppers served so far.

Thanks to the support of our dedicated partners and compassionate shoppers, we have been able to make a significant impact through the HoMie VIP Days. On our 97th VIP program, we provided 142 pieces of brand new HoMie clothing. As well as haircuts and beauty services, each young person received a self care pack, with special thanks to Pinchapoo, Australia's Number One non-for-profit hygiene supplier, for their invaluable contribution of 1,226 packs to date.

The Beauty of the HoMie VIP Days lies in the fact that they are entirely free for the young people we serve. This is made possible through the generosity of individuals in our community who align with HoMie's values and support our mission. By shopping at our store, these kind-hearted individuals contribute directly to funding this important initiative.