Share the LOVE Project aims to help people experiencing homelessness in the community

Port Macquarie resident Felicity Fough started organising the project with her mum Vicki Crawley in early January to provide people in the community with essentials and access to the right support.

"We have been doing little charity events and drives sporadically over the years, but over Christmas we decided to formalise things a bit more and do things under an official banner," Ms Fough said.

"We chose homelessness because, in my experience, it has always been an issue, and it isn't something that is viewed favourably all the time."

With a philosophy that all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect no matter their situation in life, the project provides daily essentials to people who are struggling financially but are unable to access support services.

"The project is about helping people no matter where they are in their journey," Ms Fough said.

"There's a lot of perception that if you're experiencing homelessness, you can go to a charity and get everything you need when that isn't necessarily always the case.

"There are some wonderful charities that do a fantastic job, but not everyone is able to get everything they need all the time. Due to funding and eligibility requirements, services often have a strict demographic.

"We are looking to help people who are living rough, or are in genuine need and perhaps haven't been able to seek help elsewhere because they haven't been eligible."

Since starting the project in January, Ms Fough said she has been overwhelmed with the community's support as they donate supplies for the cause.

While the project mainly helps people with clothes, toiletries and groceries, they also help people with fuel and phones, so people experiencing homelessness can connect with other support services.

The project is currently self-funded by Ms Fough and her mother as they work towards turning the project into a formal charity.

"We are not wanting to replace anyone because there are many organisations around who do a fantastic job.

"We want to turn this into a charity, so we can work with other groups and help those who have fallen in the gap between being essentially homeless but not being eligible to receive help."

The Share the LOVE Project is looking for volunteers, sponsorship and donations to help their cause, and they are always available on their Facebook page to have a chat about their project.

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