About Us

We established StreetSmart Australia in 2003 to support and strengthen smaller, grassroots community organisations helping the homeless, frustrated by the lack of action and support from Government. These smaller organisations are critical in helping many people in crisis. StreetSmart helps out by raising funds and delivering financial grants, raising community awareness of the issues of homelessness and assisting these organisations to connect across their communities.

We see StreetSmart as a unique bridge between those that want to help people experiencing homelessness and the grassroots agencies that are changing lives. We believe in the support of emergency aid and critical services, and development of projects and programs that encourage social inclusion, empowerment and sustainable change for people experiencing homelessness.

When money is raised from the public 100 per cent of your donations are distributed in the form of grants. To date we have raised $1.67 million, supporting 400 grassroots projects.

We currently operate in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, SA, WA and ACT. 

History

2003-4: Our first campaign in Melbourne raising $16,574.

2004-5: 45 restaurants took part raising $45,482.

2005-8: 77 restaurants and wineries across Melbourne and Victoria raised $78,829.

2006-7: 147 restaurants and wineries raised $114,721. We expanded the initiative further into regional Victoria and New South Wales.

2007-8: 185 restaurants raised $224,000 in Victoria, NSW/ACT and Queensland

2008: Pilot Hotel campaign and online fundraising, plus 240 restaurants involved in Restaurant Event.  Total raised over $260,000 plus $100,000 for Bush Fire Survivors

2009-10:  250 Restaurants and their diners, plus online fundraising and special events raised a total of $351,400 supporting 84 grassroots projects

2010-11:  260 Restaurants participated in DineSmart plus our online fundraising raised $420,914 supporting 88 grassroots projects.  In November we granted $71,300 to support a further 38 projects from proceeds of the first CafeSmart event