Australian Homeless Give Their Last Dimes to Support Victims of Queensland Floods

Homeless people in Sydney, Australia, chipped in to make a donation in support of victims of the Queensland flooding.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on January 17 2011

In Queensland, Australia, an area as large as France and Germany combined has been devastated by floods. Hundreds of thousands have been uprooted, their homes likely destroyed. Some—including the heroic 13-year-old Jordan Rice—have died.

The natural disaster has touched people all over the world. Many are reaching into their pockets to give money to help those affected by the floods—even those who have almost nothing to give.

Last Wednesday, in Sydney, the BackShed Café held a BBQ for a group of 50 to 60 local homeless people. The event was intended to help those in need—but the guests started talking, and realized that others needed even more than they did. Many had just coins in their pockets; others had a dollar or two. But they were all willing to give their last dimes for a cause greater than their own.

After the BBQ, the guests presented their hosts with a bucket, totaling $100.75 in donations for victims of the flood.

“It was just so moving,” Carole Ann King, a neighbor, told News.com.au. “Here you have homeless people and so many five cent coins in the bucket.”

“Naturally you feed the homeless for nothing. You don’t expect anything, but they just emptied their pockets out. It’s the true Aussie spirit.”

Filed under: Heroes, Non-Profits,

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