As night falls over Melbourne CBD, two contrasting worlds converge under the shelters of the Victoria Market: those who contribute and those who receive.
The common denominator is love. During the day, the Market teems with life as hundreds of visitors shop, eat, or stroll around. What happens after the vendors pack up their stalls and the Market closes its shutters? Others take over from the bustling morning patrons of the Market.
Among the former is Panagiotis Apostolopoulos, who deals in firefighting equipment during the week and DJs at weekend events. Last Thursday afternoon, however, Panagiotis had a different appointment with friends at the Victoria Market.
It was a meeting borne of kindness and solidarity.
For the past three years, Panagiotis has been walking the streets of Melbourne with his 14-year-old daughter, Brianna (Lambrini), distributing warm clothes and food, or whatever else people are experiencing homelessness in the city need.
“I wanted to teach my daughter that there are people who do not have everything she has.
“The security of a home, food, warmth, and love. Today’s children with computers and technology do not realise that there are people who are not so privileged, who lack even the basics,” he tells Neos Kosmos.
As he explains, he recently discovered the organisation Thursday Friend, which is at the Victoria Market every Thursday, waiting for people experiencing homelessness and people in need to pass by to give them collected items.
Panagiotis and Brianna were with them last Thursday.
“We offered 25 blankets, five sleeping bags, and several bags with warm clothes for the winter.”
“My parents, as well as the Greek community in which I grew up, taught me love for my fellow humans and solidarity,” he says.
Panagiotis has many followers on social media who love the music he plays, and he sees this as an opportunity to convey an essential message of humanity and solidarity.
“It’s my chance to use these platforms to start a discussion about the homeless. These people do not need sympathetic comments like ‘Oh, poor thing’ from people who pass them by and continue their day indifferent. They need action. So I want to tell everyone, ‘Do something. And do it on your own. Do not wait for someone else to motivate you if you want to help’,” he says.
Seeing the intention of many in his network to donate money for people experiencing homelessness, he thinks of starting a GoFundMe campaign in the coming days that will remain open for about three weeks, with all proceeds going directly to the non-profit organisation “First Step.”
“The organisation provides free access to basic services for people who have a mental illness or have an addiction.”
It is, he says, “a home open to all” where those in need can find a free psychologist, doctor, lawyer, or any other professional they need.
According to Panagiotis, the organisation receives no government funding and operates solely on donations.
“Today, people have hardened, and if I can do something to change that with my example, I will do it.”
