Rough Edges

Rough Edges Rough Edges provides food and connection for those doing it tough in the Darlinghurst area.

Rough Edges is…

a community and safe space where :

everyone is important
everyone is welcome
you can discover friendships
you can have a quiet chat
you can receive assistance that’s not a handout
you can give assistance
you can ask questions about faith
you can escape the violence in the streets
you won’t be pressured to conform to other people’s standards or beliefs
we don’t engage in abusive r

elationships
the issues of justice, equity and love are taken seriously and put into practice
a place where you can be yourself…and more

Two schools. One week. A whole lot of learning.We had the privilege of joining two Sydney schools marking Homelessness W...
15/08/2026

Two schools. One week. A whole lot of learning.

We had the privilege of joining two Sydney schools marking Homelessness Week in their own way.

At Roseville College, our CEO, Eva, joined Urban Guide Paul for the school's Homelessness Focus workshop, part of their Christian Studies program (pictured here). Paul shared his personal experience of homelessness in Sydney, giving students an honest, first-hand perspective that no textbook could offer.

Then on Tuesday, our team headed to St Andrew's Cathedral School for their Homelessness Week Hub, led by Chaplain Rob. The Hub brought homelessness services and community organisations together to connect and collaborate, with a community BBQ, live music and donated clothing on offer for people doing it tough. A beautiful picture of what collective action and everyday compassion can look like.

Thank you to Roseville College, St Andrew's Cathedral School, Chaplain Rob and Paul for creating space for these conversations. Change starts with young people who are willing to listen, and schools willing to open the door.

You can walk the same street a hundred times and never really see it.That's the quiet power of our Urban Insight program...
12/08/2026

You can walk the same street a hundred times and never really see it.

That's the quiet power of our Urban Insight program, and last week, as part of Homelessness Week, our guides Darren, Paul and Sunny led staff from South Eastern Sydney Local Health District on a series of Urban Walks through the city they serve.

South Eastern Sydney Local Health District are becoming familiar faces on these walks, and we love that. It speaks to a team genuinely committed to seeing the people and communities behind their work, not just the postcodes on a map.

Urban Walks aren't a tour. They're a shift in perspective. A chance to listen, to connect, and to understand the lives, stories and streets that shape a community.

Huge thanks to Darren, Paul and Sunny for sharing your streets and your stories, and to the SESLHD team for walking alongside us, again. This is how change starts: one conversation, one street, one step at a time.

Homelessness Week ends today, but the needs don’t. We’ve shared some insights from different perspectives, and looked at...
09/08/2026

Homelessness Week ends today, but the needs don’t. We’ve shared some insights from different perspectives, and looked at varying factors that can contribute to a person experiencing homelessness.

Here are some ways you can help beyond Homelessness Week:

🫶Change the conversation and help people see past the headlines. Ask questions like "what happened to this person?" rather than "why are they homeless?". This small shift focuses on compassion.

🫶Partner with organisations who are working with the community and local government services. At Rough Edges, every meal we serve, and every hour of case management behind it, is funded by our supporters.

🫶If you're part of a faith community, pray for our patrons, our volunteers, and the people still waiting for a door to open.

And the simplest one, which costs nothing. If you pass someone sleeping rough this week, see them. A moment of kindness goes further than you'd think.

“He came in for years and barely said a word,” Rough Edges Case Worker Sarah Swenson shares.He'd take his meal, eat quie...
07/08/2026

“He came in for years and barely said a word,” Rough Edges Case Worker Sarah Swenson shares.

He'd take his meal, eat quietly, and leave. That was it.

Then, slowly, he started staying a little longer. Joining a conversation. Learning the volunteers' names, and them learning his.

One day he asked for help.

Together, Sarah helped him work through the paperwork most of us take for granted. Identification. A doctor. The first real steps towards housing.

None of that happened because of a form. It happened because he'd spent years being welcomed by name, and eventually trusted us enough to ask.

"Meaningful change often starts with something as simple as being welcomed, known by name and treated with dignity."

Homelessness is rarely just about not having a place to sleep. Which is what came up when we asked Angus Megarrity, Roug...
06/08/2026

Homelessness is rarely just about not having a place to sleep. Which is what came up when we asked Angus Megarrity, Rough Edges Program Manager, some questions for our "Meet the Team" post. People are often looking for a place to belong.

❓What do you enjoy most about your role?
"I've met many incredible people here. I get to spend time with a bunch of diamonds in the rough that most people completely miss or disregard."

❓What do people not realise about who comes through the door?
"People from various walks of life, not just those experiencing homelessness. People in social housing who come for community and connection. People in boarding houses or small apartments struggling with cost-of-living pressures. International students trying to make ends meet."

❓What's something you're passionate about outside of work?
I love my footy and the mighty Penrith Panthers; that's where I was born and raised. We are looking good for another premiership this year which will give me an additional excuse to wear my Panthers merch to work.

"It can happen to anybody."That's Sarah Swenson, our case manager. She's had lawyers on her caseload. She's had doctors....
04/08/2026

"It can happen to anybody."

That's Sarah Swenson, our case manager. She's had lawyers on her caseload. She's had doctors.

Homelessness is rarely one decision or one bad year. It's usually several things happening at once. A relationship ends. A job goes. Illness arrives. Rent rises again.

"It's often just a matter of a few things going wrong. Like dominoes falling."

For many women, the first domino is violence at home. Domestic and family violence remains the single biggest reason women seek homelessness support in Australia, and older women are one of the fastest growing groups at risk.

When home is no longer safe, no woman should have to choose between her safety and a roof over her head.

If you or someone you know needs support, 1800RESPECT is available 24 hours a day on 1800 737 732.

This week is Homelessness Week (3 to 9 August).More than 122,000 Australians are experiencing homelessness right now. Mo...
03/08/2026

This week is Homelessness Week (3 to 9 August).

More than 122,000 Australians are experiencing homelessness right now. More than 35,000 of them are here in New South Wales.

Behind those numbers are people. People who queue at our door on Darlinghurst Road. People we know by name.

Homelessness Week is a chance to look past the statistics and the stereotypes, and to ask better questions about how people end up here, and what it takes to find a way back.

All week we'll be sharing what we see at Rough Edges. We'd love you to follow along.

📣MEET THE TEAM📣✨ Lucy, Urban Insight Coordinator From time to time we like to introduce you to the people behind the wor...
29/07/2026

📣MEET THE TEAM📣
✨ Lucy, Urban Insight Coordinator

From time to time we like to introduce you to the people behind the work at Rough Edges and Urban Insight. This week....it's Lucy🫶🥳

How long have you been part of Urban Insight/Rough Edges, and what keeps you coming back?
"I’ve been here around two and a half years. I love working within the community🧡, hearing the stories from the street and seeing a real side of Sydney. The work we do here matters; it really changes lives and that’s what keeps me going."

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
"I enjoy scouting out new locations to have coffee ☕ with my friends, and bargain hunting at op shops. 🛍"

Tell us one fun or interesting thing about yourself.
"This year I’m averaging reading one book a week!📚"

"We were grateful to be able to share about the work of Rough Edges via Sky News recently. The fundraising we received f...
16/07/2026

"We were grateful to be able to share about the work of Rough Edges via Sky News recently. The fundraising we received from the Shore Sleepout is significant, but also being able to share with a wider audience about the need we see on the streets of Darlinghurst, and what it takes to meet it is a privilege." ~ Eva Stringleman, SJCS CEO

This year marks 30 years of Rough Edges providing meals and support in this community. A place where people are known by name, where a meal is shared, where community is experienced.

📰To stay up to date on what’s happening, sign up for our newsletter. Link is in the comments.👇

📣That's a wrap on the financial year, and this community brought it💥!Together, we raised just under $185,000 and welcome...
08/07/2026

📣That's a wrap on the financial year, and this community brought it💥!

Together, we raised just under $185,000 and welcomed 50 new supporters, all to keep Rough Edges open, welcoming and warm through winter and beyond. 🥳Thank you for being part of it.

And to those new faces who started following us through the appeal, we extend a warm welcome🫶. Pull up a seat at the table, we're so glad you're here. Over the coming weeks you'll meet some of the people who make this place what it is, hear stories from our community, and see the difference a welcome can make.

Whether you've been with us for years or just arrived, the best way to keep up with Rough Edges is our monthly newsletter📰 If you're not signed up yet, follow the link in the comments!

Address

120 Darlinghurst Road
Darlinghurst, NSW
2010

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Tuesday 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Wednesday 12pm - 2pm
7:30pm - 9:30pm
Thursday 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Friday 12pm - 2pm
7:30pm - 9:30pm
Sunday 7:30pm - 9:30pm

Telephone

+61293606844

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Rough Edges posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Rough Edges:

Shortcuts

Share

Category