AFTER putting down last Saturday’s paper, Amanda Kotzur found it hard to forget the story she’d read about homeless parents-to-be who’d been sleeping in a car.
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And she wasn’t the only one.
On Monday, her co-worker at White Box Rise sales office Kelly Ragen asked her if she had seen the paper at the weekend.
Ms Ragen had been touched by the article about Paul and his heavily pregnant 18-year-old partner Jane (not their real names), forced to camp out at Kookaburra Point and Mungabareena Reserve.
“It niggled at me,” Ms Ragen said.
“It’s amazing how many people it niggled at.”
The pair decided to do something to help the couple, Ms Ragen pitching in with home appliances and Ms Kotsur heading out to the shops for nappies and other baby essentials.
It quickly became apparent that there were others, too, who had been moved by the plight of the homeless pair.
A Facebook post by Ms Kotzur saw more than 15 offers for help, and a tearful stranger in a shop handed her $20 to pass on to the couple when she overheard Ms Kotzur talking about her plans.
A mountain of household and baby items has now been amassed.
Jane said she had been blown away by the kindness of strangers, a response she hadn’t expected “in a million years”.
“Paul was right, Albury-Wodonga is ... the perfect community to raise our child,” she said.
Those who wish to add to the donation can contact Ms Kotzur at cademandy@yahoo.com.au.
Those who wish to get involved in tackling widespread homelessness should contact the Triple H forum at triplehforum@gmail.com.