Customer Spotlight: Stan Ghys, Raising Awareness & Funding With Mission Australia.
At Mesh Direct, we love seeing our products used in creative ways, but every now and then a project comes along that’s about much more than branding.
Meet Stan Ghys…
Stan is on a mission to raise awareness and funds for Australians experiencing homelessness, and he’s doing it with the help of music, community support and one very large QR code.
We recently produced a custom Crowd Control Barrier (CCB) banner featuring a giant QR code that links directly to Stan’s Mission Australia fundraising page. Whether he’s attending community events, performances or fundraising activities, the banner helps people instantly learn more about the campaign, watch the music video and make a donation.
It’s a simple idea that proves signage doesn’t just promote businesses, it can also help promote causes that matter.
From One Encounter To A National Campaign
For Stan, the project began with a moment that stayed with him.
After encountering an elderly woman who had been searching through rubbish bins for food, he was inspired to take action and use music as a way to create awareness and encourage community support.
What started as an idea quickly grew into a national collaboration involving volunteer musicians, choir members, healthcare professionals and internationally recognised composer Paul Jarman.
The result is a professionally produced song and music video designed to reach audiences across Australia and encourage donations to Mission Australia.
A Song With A Purpose
Earlier this year, Stan coordinated more than 50 volunteer composers, singers and musicians from across Australia to create a powerful fundraising song called Homeless.
Recorded at ABC Studios, the project was created to highlight the growing homelessness crisis affecting women and children across Australia while raising funds for Mission Australia.
The message behind the song is simple but powerful:
“Stand up, speak up, don’t give up the fight. Working together, we can make things right.”
The campaign has already raised more than $22,000 for Mission Australia, with an ambitious goal of reaching $1 million through donations, awareness and community support.
You can hear the song and please donate generously at www.tinyURL.com/MakeThingsRight
Why This Cause Matters.
Homelessness in Australia has reached crisis levels and is often hidden in plain sight. Rising living costs and economic hardship are pushing more people into housing insecurity, while overwhelmed support services are forced to turn away over 350 people each day.
Many Australians imagine homelessness as rough sleeping on city streets, but the reality is far broader and more complex. Women and children are among the fastest-growing groups experiencing housing insecurity.
According to figures highlighted by the campaign:
- More than 53,000 women were experiencing homelessness during the last Census.
- Over 400,000 older women are considered at risk due to financial pressures and housing affordability challenges.
- Specialist homelessness services are stretched beyond capacity, with hundreds of people turned away every day.
With winter approaching and Homelessness Week taking place from 3–9 August, the campaign aims to encourage Australians to learn more, start conversations and contribute where they can.
The Power Of Collaboration
One of the most inspiring aspects of the project is the number of people who donated their time and talents to make it happen.
The campaign brought together:
- More than 50 volunteer composers, singers and musicians.
- Clinical doctor Dr Gillian Eastgate, who works closely with people experiencing homelessness.
- Internationally renowned composer Paul Jarman, whose work has been performed at major global events.
- Community leaders, choir directors and production specialists who all contributed to the final project.
It’s a reminder that meaningful change rarely happens alone. When people combine their skills, networks and creativity, they can create something far bigger than any one individual could achieve.
Raising Awareness Beyond Donations
While fundraising is a key goal, the campaign is equally focused on awareness.
Whether through music, media coverage, social sharing, events or visual communication, every conversation helps shine a light on an issue that affects thousands of Australians every day.
At Mesh Direct, we’re proud to work with organisations, charities, artists and community leaders who use creative projects to connect with people and make a positive impact.
Because sometimes the most important messages aren’t about selling something, they’re about helping people.
How You Can Help
If you’d like to support the campaign, you can watch the music video and make a donation through Mission Australia’s fundraising page.
Every donation helps support Australians experiencing homelessness and contributes towards the campaign’s goal of creating meaningful change for those most in need.
www.tinyURL.com/MakeThingsRight
How Signage Is Supporting The Campaign
- While the campaign’s centrepiece is the song Homeless, visual communication plays an important role in helping spread the message.
- Stan’s custom Mesh Direct CCB banner features a large QR code linking directly to the fundraising page, making it easy for supporters to donate on the spot.
- The banner travels with him to performances, community events and fundraising activities, helping transform awareness into action.
- It’s a great example of how printed signage can bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds, connecting people directly to important causes with a simple scan.
About Mesh Direct
Mesh Direct provides premium printed banner mesh, hoarding signage, event branding, stage backdrops and large-format print solutions across Australia. We believe great visual communication has the power to inform, inspire and bring communities together.
