Lou’s Place is right in the centre of King’s Cross. It’s a daytime centre for women –  women who need a hand in putting back together lives that have crumpled under the pressures of abuse and neglect. They are homeless, in crisis or in need of support. Most are either victims of abuse, mentally ill, and/or suffering from substance abuse. At Lou’s they can eat, take a shower, seek counselling or just feel safe – safe from isolation and loneliness, hunger and cold, ill health and the dangers of the street or even dangers within their own homes.

Step into Lou’s Place and you could be entering a family home. Smells from the kitchen, laughs from the clothing room, calls up and down the narrow staircase that lead up to the lounge room and then on up to the crowded arts and crafts room … there's also legal, medical and counselling services, workshops in arts and crafts, a TV room, a balcony for chilling out – and the regular meals we offer to the women. When the shout of “Lunch is ready!” is heard, the women flock down to the kitchen and out into the little courtyard we have at the back to eat, talk, exchange their stories or sit in silence and just listen.

When we established Lou’s Place in 1999, there was nothing like it in Sydney – or in Australia, come to that. It is a special place – in atmosphere, in the way it’s run and in the respect it gives to each and every one of the women who come in.

Lou’s Place is funded entirely by private donation. Both the operation and fundraising is done by The Marmalade Foundation (TMF), a community based group who seek donations from corporate and individaul donors. Donations are our lifeblood; without them we cannot survive - and we'd be very pleased to hear from you if you would like to make a donation. There's a donation form on this site at http://www.lousplace.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=55 and we'd also be please to tell you more about how we operate: call 9358-4553.

On this website we’ve set out a guide to the things we do, the workings behind the scenes, our history, and how you can get involved if you think it’s the sort of place that suits you – by sending your clients to us, by volunteering or by donating.