Bringing back dignity and pride

The Essentials Collective
Selfless. Passionate. Hard-working.

By providing a few essentials, Lenny Jacoby is making a huge difference to people who are homeless or fleeing domestic violence.

Six years ago, Lenny founded not-for-profit The Essentials Collective, which drops toiletries, sanitary items, underwear and health products at women’s refugees and outreach and drop-in centres.

A part-time nurse and mother, she finds the time to organise and facilitate over 30 donation drop off sites across Perth. So far, she has collected almost 190,000 donated items.

Along the way, she has inspired and motivated 50 people to volunteer their time.

More recently, the collective started providing socks to homeless men – 700 pairs to date – after Lenny went out into the community to talk to displaced men.

“I recently heard a woman say that it was the simple things like having shampoo and a toothbrush that made her feel valued when she entered a women’s refuge,” Lenny says.

“It still amazes me the impact such a donation can make.”

Lenny says she won’t stop until homelessness ends.

“Most vulnerable people want to look good, to have hygiene and be proud of who they are,” she says.

“How can they do that without the basic things in life?”

Westfield Local Heroes are nominated and voted for by their communities, with the three top finalists per Westfield centre each awarded a $10,000 grant for their affiliated organisation. The Essentials Collective will put its grant towards securing permanent storage premises and to purchasing extra toiletries.

For further information on the Westfield Local Heroes program, click here