A COMMUNITY event will bring people together to discuss housing insecurity and homelessness across the peninsula while supporting Western Port Community Support.
The event is being organised by community group WeShare and will be held on 13 September at Balnarring Community Hall.
The aim is to spark conversations about the realities of homelessness and explore what the community can do to help address the housing crisis.
WeShare member Carolyn Tate said the group was formed about a year ago by community members who were interested in food security, sharing resources, and helping address local issues.
“We’re just a bunch of people who care about food security, and swapping food, and caring about each other, and building resilient communities,” said Tate.
Tate said housing insecurity and homelessness became one of the issues the group wanted to help address after they realised the scale of the problem across the peninsula.
“We thought a lot of community members may not be aware of just how tough it is,” said Tate.
The event will include an old-fashioned afternoon tea, community conversations, a short film about tiny houses, and live illustration by Megan Herbert.
Tate said tiny houses are just one potential solution to the housing crisis, but the afternoon is about encouraging community members to share their ideas.
“It’s a chance for the community to share their ideas and spark conversations and ideas,” said Tate.
The event will also include a pantry drive, with attendees encouraged to bring along sealed, packaged food for Western Port Community Support to distribute.
Western Port Community Support is a not-for-profit organisation that provides emergency relief, housing and family support programs, food parcels, and material aid.
Programs Coordinator Laura Sutton said housing was a significant issue for many people who access the organisation’s services.
“Nearly every day, we get new people coming in saying, ‘I have a notice to vacate’, or ‘There’s an issue in my community housing property’, or ‘I need some help advocating for something’,” said Sutton.
The organisation works with people experiencing acute homelessness as well as focusing on preventative support.
Sutton said rising private rental costs are placing increased pressure on people on pensions or low incomes, leaving many unable to secure accommodation and adding pressure to social housing wait lists.
She said housing insecurity is also taking a toll on people’s mental health.
“We’re seeing people come in regularly who are really stressed because of their housing situation or their homelessness, and it’s causing a real mental health crisis in some of these people that we see every day,” said Tate.
Western Port Community Support Executive Officer Georgia Hourn said the organisation is the largest provider of emergency relief along the Western Port coastline.
Hourn said they will be sharing de-identified stories from people who have accessed their services at the event to help add a human side to homelessness.
“We’re hoping that will both dispel myths and put a little bit more of a human side to homelessness and the people that we’re seeing come through our service,” said Hourn.
She encouraged community members to attend and hear the stories they have to share.
“I know there’s been a bit of a spotlight, particularly on the Mornington Peninsula, with events around homelessness and housing,” said Hourn.
“But in saying that, there’s always room to learn more.”
Hourn said their food support programs rely heavily on donations, and any amount makes a difference.
“It’s the community supporting community,” said Hourn.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a small donation of $20 worth of food, or even a huge donation; everything that we get, we put to good use, and it goes back into the community.”
Any proceeds from the event will go towards Western Port Community Support.
You can purchase tickets for the event at: events.humanitix.com/finding-home-mp.
First published in the Western Port News – 2 September 2026
