Australia: Quest Apartment Hotels has partnered with Housing All Australians (HAA) and the Salvation Army to provide temporary accommodation for Australians who are at risk of homelessness as a result of the pandemic.
The initiative sees Quest, the franchisor of a network of more than 140 aparthotels across Australia, providing the Salvation Army with temporary accommodation at rates reflecting a break-even position.
HAA founder Robert Pradolin said the partnership was about ensuring vulnerable Australians had a roof over their heads during this crisis, especially with winter approaching. “Due to this crisis, we know thousands of people have lost their jobs and are struggling to pay rent, we know domestic violence is on the rise and we know these situations can lead to homelessness,” he said. “We want everyone in our community to have a clean, warm and safe place to sleep at night.”
Quest first partnered with HAA last year to provide short-term transitional housing for people experiencing homelessness.
COO David Mansfield said: “We are grateful for the hundreds of passionate Quest franchisees around the country prepared to support this incredibly important initiative with us.”
The Salvation Army assists and supports individuals, couples and families right across Australia who may be at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness by providing a range of services including accommodation, case management services to resolve their homelessness experience.
Livia Carusi, national general manager, homelessness at Salvation Army said: “We do have demand for additional accommodation across Australia especially in response to the needs of families. By pulling together with caring corporates like Quest and offering a safe, supportive place for disadvantaged Australians, we can make a huge difference to the lives of many in these tough times.”</p
