Lou’s Place is a safe, welcoming and low-barrier community for women in Sydney.
Women can come to Lou’s for practical, emotional or social support, or simply for a safe place to spend time. There is no cost, appointment or referral required, and women can choose how and when they engage with support.
As a community-supported organisation, donations are essential to helping us keep our doors open and continue offering consistent, responsive support to women.
Why your donation matters
Lou’s Place is sustained by the generosity of our community. We do not currently receive core recurrent government funding, so donations are not simply an extra — they are essential to keeping our doors open and our support available to women each weekday.
Your donation helps protect what makes Lou’s Place unique: a welcoming, low-barrier place where women are treated with dignity, listened to without judgement and supported on their own terms. It contributes to practical assistance, specialist support, opportunities for connection and the everyday costs of providing a safe and responsive service.
Every donation, large or small, helps ensure women can continue to access support, connection and care when they need it.
What your support makes possible
Donations help Lou’s Place remain open, welcoming and responsive to women throughout the year.
A welcoming place to return to
818
individual women supported
In 2024–25, Lou’s Place supported 818 individual women.
11,727
visits to our drop-in centre
Women made 11,727 visits to Lou’s Place in 2024–25.
47
women welcomed each day on average
On average, 47 women a day came to Lou’s Place to find safety, connection and support.
1.092
visits
July 2024 was Lou’s Place’s busiest month on record, with 1,092 visits.
*These statistics reflect the 2024–25 reporting period.
Food and everyday essentials
4,521
breakfasts shared
Lou’s Place shared 4,521 breakfasts with women and the community.
8,710
hot lunches shared
Lou’s Place shared 8,710 hot lunches with women and the community.
13,231
meals enjoyed in the community
In total, 13,231 meals were enjoyed with community at Lou’s Place.
3,366
takeaway meals provided
Lou’s Place provided 3,366 takeaway meals so women had food after the doors closed.
3,701
toiletries supplied
Lou’s Place supplied 3,701 toiletries to support hygiene and dignity.
1,311
items of emergency clothing provided
Lou’s Place provided 1,311 items of emergency clothing, often alongside a hot shower.
*These statistics reflect the 2024–25 reporting period.
Practical care and support
573
showers offered
Lou’s Place offered 573 showers in a safe, private space.
1,669
loads of laundry completed
Women completed 1,669 loads of laundry at Lou’s Place.
3,780+
hours of practical and emotional support provided through our programs
Lou’s Place delivered more than 3,780 hours of practical and emotional support through our case management programs.
*These statistics reflect the 2024–25 reporting period.
Behind every number is a woman making her own choices about what she needs that day. Your donation helps ensure practical support, connection and care are available when she walks through the door.
Give monthly
Monthly donations give Lou’s Place something especially valuable: dependable support we can plan around.
Without core recurrent government funding, predictable income is essential. Regular donations help us plan ahead with greater confidence, maintain our everyday services and respond flexibly as women’s needs change throughout the year.
A monthly gift does not need to be large to have a meaningful impact. Smaller, regular donations add up to create a more sustainable foundation for Lou’s Place and help protect the availability of our support into the future.
Choose an amount that feels manageable and become a regular supporter helping to keep Lou’s Place open, welcoming and available to women.
Become a Monthly Donor
Workplace giving
Workplace giving is a simple way to make regular donations to Lou’s Place directly through your employer’s payroll system.
You may be able to contribute from as little as $5 each week or pay cycle. Over time, these regular donations combine to provide meaningful and dependable support for Lou’s Place.
Speak with your employer to find out whether workplace giving is available, or contact donations@lousplace.com.au for more information.
Donate goods or practical support
At different times, Lou’s Place may need particular goods, professional services or other practical support.
Because we have very limited storage space, we cannot accept physical donations at the service without prior arrangement. When particular items are needed, such as toiletries or sanitary products, we may share a request through our social media channels.
Please contact donations@lousplace.com.au before purchasing or bringing goods to Lou’s Place. This helps us make sure donations match what women and the service currently need.
Leave a gift in your Will
Leaving a gift to Lou’s Place in your Will is a meaningful way to help ensure women can continue finding practical support, connection and care for years to come.
A gift of any size can become part of the lasting community of support surrounding Lou’s Place and help protect the future of a service women know they can return to.
To include Lou’s Place in your Will, please use the following details:
The Marmalade Foundation Limited
ABN: 17 135 874 118
We encourage you to speak with a solicitor or legal adviser when preparing or updating your Will.
For more information or a confidential conversation, please contact donations@lousplace.com.au.
Stand alongside women
Your generosity helps Lou’s Place remain a safe, welcoming and low-barrier community where women are met with dignity, respect and care.
Every donation contributes to the practical support, connection and consistency women can access when they come through our doors. It helps ensure women can engage in ways that feel right for them, make their own choices and return when they need to.
Lou’s Place is made possible by a community of people who believe every woman deserves to feel welcome, supported and accepted without judgement.
Thank you for standing alongside women and helping keep Lou’s Place open, responsive and connected to the community.