Photo: Simon O’Dwyer
West Welcome Wagon (WWW) began in September 2013, sparked by the discovery that local asylum seekers were living without beds or electricity in an empty apartment for six weeks. This urgent need prompted a swift, compassionate, and generous response from the community, laying the foundation for what would become a vital support network in Melbourne’s west.
In just a few weeks, local asylum seeker agencies began reaching out for our help, and by the end of 2013, requests were coming directly from case management agencies. Our online volunteer group quickly grew to 700 members, and volunteer management expanded from a single founder to a dedicated board of directors.
With the support of the board, WWW secured its first grant and launched an in-home English tutoring program. Volunteers organised collection points for donations and devoted hundreds of hours to delivering essential material aid to people in need.
During our first year, WWW supported 913 asylum seekers—155 children and 758 adults—most of whom had no right to work and were living on less than the minimum Centrelink income while paying rent. That year, we delivered over 500 beds, 920 bags of food, 200 children’s bundles, and 100 bikes to families starting anew.
By the end of 2014, our community had grown to around 3,500 members. We became an Incorporated Association and a registered charity with Deductible Gift Recipient status, enabling us to expand our impact even further.
A key milestone came in 2016, when we established a central warehouse. This new ‘home’ allowed for more efficient sorting and storage of donated goods, significantly improving our ability to respond to the growing needs of asylum seekers and refugees in the region.
Over the past decade, West Welcome Wagon has continued to evolve, adapting to the changing needs of our clients and the wider community. Today, we support over 550 households from more than 30 countries, powered by a passionate team of volunteers and small staff team with the ongoing generosity of our community.
From humble beginnings, WWW has become a cornerstone of welcome and support for asylum seekers and refugees in Melbourne’s west—helping thousands of families build safe, comfortable homes and a sense of belonging.