Power Up Kids

16/11/2025

We’re incredibly proud to launch the Set Free Care Essential Item Bin — a bin created to support one amazing and important community organization on the Gold Coast.

For more than two decades, Set Free Care has been there for people doing it tough — serving hot meals, offering showers and laundry, providing safe connection, and helping thousands of locals find dignity, support, and a way forward. Their doors stay open because the community steps up… and today, we get to play our part.

This week, our brand-new bin begins its journey at the beautiful Carpets on the Move team in Tweed Heads South — a family-owned business with a huge heart and an even bigger commitment to community.

They’ve proudly offered to host our bin for the next two weeks, giving locals a simple, powerful way to support Set Free Care with the essential items they need every single week.

When a business stands up like this, it reminds us what community really looks like — no fuss, no ego, just people helping people.

To Beverly and team at Carpets on the Move: thank you for opening your doors, your space, and your hearts.

To Set Free Care: thank you for the meals, the care, the dignity, and the hope you give to thousands across our city.

And to every person who drops something in this bin: you are part of the change.

If your business, school, club, or organisation would like to host a Set Free Care bin, please reach out.

One bin. Two weeks. A lifetime of impact for someone who needs it NOW.

Here’s to us — building a city that shows up for each other. 💛

06/11/2025

Can We Change

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be releasing something truly special for the Gold Coast community.

Something that will unite every business, every school, every sporting club, and every person who believes that change begins when compassion becomes visible.

Imagine a city where homelessness is rare, brief, and never forgotten.

That’s the vision driving the Gold Coast Zero Campaign — a community-wide movement powered by the Gold Coast Homelessness Network and its partner organisations, who are out there every single day — connecting people to homes, collecting data, and creating hope — reminding us that behind every number is a person, and behind every person is a story worth seeing.

That’s why, with the support of the Kollosche Community Fund and in partnership with the Gold Coast Homelessness Network inc we’re launching the Gold Coast Zero Essential Item Bin Initiative through Can We Change, a movement built to unite our city around visibility, compassion, and real action.

What We’re Doing

We’re launching the Gold Coast Zero Essential Item Bin Initiative — a community-led movement that turns awareness into action and compassion into change.

These bins aren’t just about collecting items — they’re about connecting people.

They give every business, school, sporting club, and household across the Coast a simple, visible way to help end homelessness — one item, one story, one act of kindness at a time.

Each bin stands as a message of hope — linking the public directly to the charities and frontline workers who keep our city going.
• One side shows live data, updated monthly by the Gold Coast Homelessness Network, revealing the real numbers and real progress happening across our city.

• The other side features a Dynamic QR Code, giving every member organisation within the Network their own visible section — opening a window into real lives, real stories, and real voices from those who’ve experienced homelessness, and the incredible people helping them rebuild.

The first story, “A Place to Call Home,” created by Gold Coast Youth Service, captures what this campaign is all about — because a home doesn’t just change circumstances.
It changes everything.

And as more bins appear across the Coast, so will more stories — more truth, more understanding, and more reasons to believe that when a community stands together, change isn’t just possible…
it’s inevitable.

Together, We Can Change Everything

This is where the Gold Coast stands up.

Where businesses, schools, clubs, and individuals become part of something bigger — something that shines a light on hope and brings humanity back to the heart of our community.

Because when compassion becomes visible, change truly becomes unstoppable.

Established network of homelessness services, government agencies, community outreach services and broader community membership that is cohesive, coordinated and has a commitment to integrative and collaborative service delivery.

10/10/2025

Grassroots sport is about more than trophies and tryouts — it’s about belonging.

But sometimes, people fall off the tracks.

A player disappears quietly.
A parent stops showing up.
A volunteer fades from the sidelines.

These moments are easy to miss — yet they’re the moments that matter most.

On Power Up Kids and Can We Change called on every club, coach, and community to look a little closer.
Because mental health isn’t just something we talk about once a year — it’s something we live every day.

When a club wraps its arms around someone who’s struggling, it becomes more than a sporting organisation — it becomes a lifeline.

So today, let’s check in on the ones who’ve gone quiet.

Let’s build cultures where falling off the tracks doesn’t mean falling alone.

And let’s remember — community isn’t just who we play with, it’s who we show up for.

25/09/2025

🙌 A Huge Thank You to Vege Chips🙌

Because of the incredible generosity of Vege Chips, who donated over 1,700 packets of their delicious snacks, we were able to spread smiles, comfort, and kindness right across our community. 🌟

Together, we passed this gift on to five amazing organisations who show up every day for people doing it tough:
❤️ Rosie’s – Friends on the Street
❤️ Walk With Us
❤️ Set Care Free
❤️ Gold Coast Youth Service
❤️ Havafeed

That’s 1,700 moments of joy. 1,700 reminders that people care. 1,700 small acts that add up to something much bigger.

This is what partnership looks like. This is community. This is change in action.

From all of us: thank you, Vege Chips. Your kindness is fuelling hope and connection across the Coast. 🙏✨

25/09/2025

❤️From 10,000 to 20,000 – A Journey of Care

Just 10 months ago, we set out with Rosies - Friends On The Street – on a mission:

👉 To collect 10,000 essential items
👉 To connect our community more deeply to the work Rosie’s does every night across Queensland

Rosie’s has always been more than a service.
They bring warmth, conversation, and dignity in times of need. They show up. They listen. They care.

Together, we didn’t just reach the goal…
We doubled it.

🌟 20,000 essential items collected
🌟 Reaching over 40,000 people doing it tough

From every essential item, a cup of noodles, or cup of coffee, every donation has carried love from our community straight to the hands of those who need it most.

This is proof of what happens when people come together. ❤️

It’s not just items. It’s connection. It’s compassion. It’s change.

And we’re just getting started.

Huge thank you to all the companies, MPs and councillors involved . You deserve this credit.


16/09/2025

🌹 A Tribute from the Heart

At the centre of Rosies - Friends On The Street are two remarkable women: CEO Jayne Shallcross and Head of Fundraising, Lacee Hennessy Overton. Their leadership, compassion, and relentless dedication have carried Rosies forward, ensuring that those doing it tough are never without friendship, support, and hope.

Through our Power Up Kids and Can We Change volunteer program, we were honoured to celebrate 1,650 Rosies volunteers across Queensland with service pins — from 1 year, right through to an extraordinary 25 years. Each pin told a story of kindness and commitment.

But we wanted to do something more — something that showed Jayne and Lacee just how much their leadership means to everyone. Thanks to the hub coordinators across Queensland, we gathered heartfelt messages, stories, and signatures. Together, they became a powerful gift: a framed Rosies T-shirt, surrounded by love, and adorned with the very pins that symbolised this journey.

This shirt isn’t just fabric. It’s a canvas of gratitude — a tribute to two women whose work has touched countless lives and inspired us all to believe in the power of community.

Jayne and Lacee, you are the heart and soul of Rosies. Thank you for showing us that change begins with compassion, and that when we walk together, no one is ever truly alone. ❤️

10/09/2025

💛 R U OK? Day 💛
Today’s a reminder that we can all play a part in changing the stigma around mental health.
Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is turn to the person next to us and ask, “Are you okay?”
You never know what someone might be going through — and your conversation could make all the difference.

Let’s make today about listening, caring, and reminding each other that we’re not alone…

07/09/2025

Congratulations Palm Beach Currumbin Junior AFL Club AFL!

We are proud to announce that Palm Beach Currumbin Junior AFL are the winners of the 2025 Can We Change × Power Up Kids Volunteer Legends Award. 🏆

This award celebrates the tireless effort, heart, and community spirit of volunteers who go above and beyond to make a difference. Palm Beach Currumbin Junior AFL have shown what true teamwork looks like — not just on the field, but off it too.

To every volunteer, parent, coach, and supporter — this recognition is yours. You are the heartbeat of the club, and your impact reaches far beyond the game.

A very special thank you to all the Presidents and Vice Presidents across the 20 Junior AFL clubs on the Gold Coast and Northern NSW who took part in the 2025 Can We Change Rewards & Recognition Program. Your leadership and dedication keep grassroots footy strong and connected.

💛 And a huge shout out to Wendy Marshall and Sam Clark from the Gold Coast Suns— it’s been a pleasure working alongside you both to make this program a reality.

Together, we’re proving that community, kindness, and care can create real change — one legend at a time.

⚡ Power Up Kids. Can We Change. Volunteer Legends.

31/08/2025

Community Power in Action!

Thank you Raywhite for their support — this time delivering noodles and essential items for The Exchange Shed noodle Drive in partnership with Rosies - Friends On The Street.

And a big shoutout to Megan and her family at the The Exchange Shed - Containers for Change Jimboomba who didn’t just say yes to hosting a permanent Rosies Bin — they’ve gone above and beyond, upgrading their entire shed and driveways so the community of jimboomba and surrounding areas can safely and easily drop off their bottles and cans thru the Containers for Change QLD (COEX) scheme, but also now essential items for Rosies Friends on the Street. 🙌

Because of incredible efforts like this, Power Up Kids have now collected over 17,500 essential items. That doesn’t just mean 17,500 moments of help — it means more than 40,000 people supported across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. One essential item can stretch into many meals, snacks, or acts of connection for Rosie’s incredible Volunteers ❤️❤️❤️

We now have 4 permanent sites for Rosie’s , and our goal is 8 permanent sites plus 2 extra bins dedicated to Rosies’ Essential Item Program thru the Can We Change initiative — so even more lives can be touched.

This is what happens when a community comes together: small acts, huge impact. Together, We Can Change .

27/08/2025

One Game. One Chance. History Awaits.

Tonight, the Gold Coast Suns have the opportunity to make history. A win will secure their first-ever finals appearance in the history of the club.

From the players on the field to the staff behind the scenes, the hard work, sacrifice, and belief have led to this moment. At Power Up Kids and Can We Change, we couldn’t be prouder to cheer you on.

We can’t wait to watch the boys give it everything, enjoy the game, and see history unfold right in front of us. 💛❤️

Let’s go Suns – this is your time to shine!

26/08/2025

“People like Tim don’t just support mental health — they change lives, giving hope where it’s needed most

Give Tim a Vote 👌

ChatGPT defines caring as - The demonstration of concern, kindness, and compassion toward others through attentive actions, empathy, and responsibility for their wellbeing.

To us, the definition of caring is Tim Cook.

For anyone that knows Tim understands that his entire being cares for others, how they are going, their welfare and what he can do to make their lives just that little bit easier.

While he may not enjoy the attention he receives from this nomination, he certainly deserves it and we all at OTLR could not be more proud of him.

If you could take 30 seconds to vote for Tim in the Westfield Local Hero for Knox , it would mean the world to us and help us recognise Tim for the amazing impact he has on so many lives.

Link in bio.

CEO - Todd Morgan

22/08/2025

Community, Compassion & Change in Action

Today we witnessed something truly incredible. Our friends at Signet Australia went above and beyond for Rosies - Friends On The Street during National Homelessness Week.

Not only did they fill three Essential Item bins to the brim with much-needed goods like noodles, biscuits, coffee, Milo and sugar – they also donated $500 directly to Rosies to help support people doing it tough. 💛

But it doesn’t stop there. Through a new partnership, essential items that would normally go to landfill have been given a new purpose, redirected into our programs to help those in need. This is impact you can see – social change and environmental care working hand in hand. 🌍♻️

Moments like these show the true power of partnerships. When businesses, communities, and charities come together, we can create lasting change and bring hope to those who need it most.

Big shoutout to CEO James Poulsen , Kylie Winson and to Jessy -Lea your organisation, commitment, and passion is next level ❤️❤️

From all of us at Power Up Kids and Can We Change – thank you, Signet, for leading the way and showing what’s possible. 🙌