Stepping Stone House

09/10/2026

"People rarely wake up thinking, 'Oh goody, I need storage!'"

After 21 years at Kennards Self Storage, Fiona "Fizz" Harding has learned that every box tells a story.

A move. A fresh start. A relationship breakdown. A growing family. A life packed up and unpacked again.

Long before she joined Kennards Self Storage, Fiona was volunteering with Youth and Family Services as a teenager. It was there she first saw how much the right support can change someone's life.

Eleven Sleep Under the Stars events later, she's still turning up with her cardboard box, still rallying support, and still asking everyone she knows to donate.

Because behind every young person experiencing homelessness is a story, too.

As Fiona puts it:

"I can replace a bad night's sleep. A young person can't replace a childhood spent feeling unsafe."

⭐ Support Fiona here: https://www.sleepunderthestars.com.au/users/fiona-harding

06/10/2026

What if one donation could do twice as much?

For the next 36 hours, it can.

Every donation to Sleep Under the Stars from 5am Wednesday to 5pm Thursday will be doubled, helping more young people access the support they need to build brighter futures.

If you're taking part in Sleep Under the Stars, now is a great time to unlock your ticket by reaching the $250 fundraising requirement.

Twice the impact. Twice the opportunity. One community coming together. 🧡

06/10/2026

🐾 We have to admit... Tilly may have stolen the spotlight.

While her human, Susan, was recently nominated for the NSW Volunteer of the Year Award, anyone who knows Stepping Stone House knows this recognition belongs to a remarkable duo.

For years, Susan has given her time, care and kindness to support the children and young people in our community. Alongside her, Tilly has brought comfort, connection and plenty of tail wags to children, young people, and staff alike.

Sometimes, the people who make the biggest difference aren't the loudest. They're the ones who keep showing up, week after week, year after year.

Please join us in congratulating Susan on this well-deserved recognition, and in thanking both Susan and Tilly for everything they bring to Stepping Stone House. 🧡

02/10/2026

Imagine if a safe place to sleep was something you had to earn.

For too many children and young people, stability, safety and opportunity can feel just out of reach.

That's why Sleep Under the Stars matters.

In just two weeks, we'll come together at Taronga Zoo to raise vital funds for Stepping Stone House. If you're taking part, remember you'll need to raise $250 to unlock your ticket.

One night under the stars. Lasting impact for children and young people rebuilding their lives.

🧡 Donate, fundraise, share your page and help us get there.

02/10/2026

Recently the team from Roc Partners rolled up their sleeves for an Impact Day at Stepping Stone House, helping transform one of our properties through gardening and outdoor maintenance.

For young people who have experienced homelessness, a safe house is more than a roof over their head. It's a place to grow and build a future. By helping create welcoming outdoor spaces, the Roc Partners team played a part in making a house feel more like a home.

Roc Partners' partnership with Stepping Stone House is built on a shared belief in investing in people and creating brighter futures. Their support extends well beyond funding, with their team actively engaging through volunteering and fundraising.

We're also excited to see Roc Partners continue their impact by taking part in Sleep Under the Stars next month, joining hundreds of participants who will spend a night under the stars to help young people move from homelessness towards safety, stability and independence.

Thank you, ROC Partners, for showing what meaningful partnership looks like. We're so grateful to have you walking alongside us to support the young people at Stepping Stone House.

30/09/2026

"My family lost our home twice."

Long before he became a Manager at Adobe, Sundar was a child growing up during the civil war in Sri Lanka.

His family lost their home twice. For six months, they lived in a jungle hut they built themselves, without clean water or proper shelter.

Today, Sundaresan Rajaratnam has spent ten years supporting Sleep Under the Stars.

Not because he wants to spend a night outside, but because he remembers what it feels like when home isn't something you can count on.

Over the past decade, he has brought colleagues, friends and entire Adobe teams alongside him, helping raise more than $200,000 for children and young people facing homelessness.

This October, he'll do it again.

Because every child and young person deserves the stability, safety and opportunity that a home provides.

🧡 Support Sundar and the Adobe ANZ Team: https://www.sleepunderthestars.com.au/users/sundaresan-rajaratnam/donations/new

25/09/2026

Three years ago, a friend asked James if he'd like to help out with Sleep Under the Stars.

It sounded like a worthwhile thing to do. As the father of two young adults himself, he understood straight away why young people need safe places, trusted adults and opportunities to build a future.

What he didn't expect was what would keep him coming back.

Not the fundraising totals.

Not the event itself.

Not even the night under the stars.

It's the young people.

Over the years, James has watched children and young people arrive at Stepping Stone House carrying the weight of experiences no young person should have to navigate alone. He's seen young people who were unsure of themselves find confidence, develop life skills, gain employment and begin to imagine futures that once felt out of reach.

Sometimes, when people think about homelessness, they picture statistics.

James thinks about people.

The young person who found the courage to stand in front of a crowd and tell their story.

The person who gained enough confidence to apply for their first job.

The quiet changes that happen when someone feels safe, supported and believed in.

Those things are harder to measure than a fundraising target, but they're the reason so many people continue supporting Stepping Stone House year after year.

Because behind every donation, every fundraiser and every Sleep Under the Stars participant is a young person building a life they deserve.

🧡

23/09/2026

More than 500 people have signed up to Sleep Under the Stars this year. That's the biggest response we've ever had.

Now it's time to turn that momentum into impact.

From 5am today, every donation to a SUTS participant will be doubled thanks to Kennards Self Storage. Raise $125 during the match and you'll hit the $250 fundraising target needed to unlock your ticket.

Imagine what could happen if every participant asked just one more friend, colleague or family member to get behind them?

If you're taking part, share your fundraising page.

If you know someone who is, now is the time to support them.

The match runs until 5pm Friday, or until matching funds are exhausted.

Let's see what more than 500 people can achieve together.

👉 https://www.sleepunderthestars.com.au/donate

20/09/2026

Nearly half of Australians don't have a will.

One survey found 37% of people who hadn't written a will said they were simply too busy. Another found that 38% of people who eventually wrote one did so because they finally got around to it.

In other words, for many of us, it's not really about cost, complexity or knowing we should do it. It's one of those important life admin tasks that keeps sliding down the to-do list.

There's also a common misconception that if you don't have a will, your wishes will automatically be carried out anyway. In reality, if you die without a valid will, your estate is distributed according to state intestacy laws.

So, if it's been sitting on your mental to-do list for a while, consider this your gentle reminder.

Today is the final day to access a free online will through Stepping Stone House. There's no obligation to include us or any other charity, it is just a gift from us to you.

It takes around 20 minutes, is reviewed by an Australian solicitor, and might just be one of the most important items you tick off this year.

🔗 https://safewill.com/steppingstonehouse

And because I'm curious...

What's the life admin task you've been meaning to get around to for far too long?

17/09/2026