A project designed to provide local homeless men and boys with basic ‘dignity items’ is to be launched next week during an International Men’s Health Week 2017 (IMHW2017) event to be held at the Playford Uniting Church at Munno Para.

The launch event is being co-ordinated by the Northern Men’s Wellbeing Network to Mark International Men’s Health Week 2017 in the North.

The “Socks, Jocks and More”’ project was suggested by network member, and local Member of Parliament, Mr Tony Piccolo.

Mr Piccolo developed the idea from the successful “Essentials for Women” project that his Electorate Office support by being a collection point for basic dignity items for women.

“The Essentials for Women project has enabled the community to support women who are homeless or are unable to purchase basic items due to their circumstances,” Mr Piccolo said.

“Every human being, irrespective of who they are, should have access to basic items to assist with personal health and wellbeing.”

“It is sad that we have men and boys in our communities who, for whatever reason, end up homeless and often unable to access basic items like clean socks and jocks, toothpaste, soap and the like.”

“While I would like to think we can solve homelessness in our community, until that time, we need to do what we can to help people and in this case, men and boys, live with some dignity.”

“Personal hygiene is not just a case of being able to feel good, but it is critical if you wish to find a place to rent, get a job, or just mix socially,” he said.

Local churches in the Gawler region, UCare and other community organisations have thrown their weight behind this project.Mr Piccolo’s Electorate Office in Murray Street will act as a collection point for all items, including brand new socks, jocks, singlets, t-shirts, toothpaste, body wash, soap, shampoo and the like.

Mr Piccolo said that, for health and safety reason we are only accepting brand new items in original packaging.

“UCARE Gawler have kindly agreed to be a distribution point for the items,” Mr Piccolo said.

“Churches and other community organisations will become collection and distribution points as the project develops,” he said.

The project will be launched during the IMHW 2017 event on Thursday 15 June at the Playford Uniting Church commencing at 2pm.

The event includes a talk by Professor Gary Wittert, Head of Medicine at the University of Adelaide and Director of the Freemason’s Centre for Men’s Health on the research the Centre is undertaking in Northern parts of Adelaide.

While the event is FREE and open to the general community to attend, could you please register at https://goo.gl/QiXDre by Monday 12 June 2017 to assist with catering.