Chyka Keebaugh is a business owner, author, styling expert and almost a professional house mover.
The former Real Housewives of Melbourne star is certainly keeping herself busy these days, and moving house has been the cherry on top of a very filling pie.
Speaking to Now To Love, Chyka said she had close to 200 boxes stacked around her home as she prepared to relocate with her husband Bruce, and the extreme level of organisation and sorting through old possessions has lent itself well to an important cause.
The former Real Housewives of Melbourne star is lending some of her important possessions to a good cause. (Image: Supplied)
The 49-year-old is an ambassador for Sacred Heart Mission’s Women’s House Give A Frock campaign for 2018, which sees Melbourne’s fashionable women come together to donate their pre-loved dresses for sale in support of homeless women.
And Chyka, who had no choice but to sort through her entire wardrobe with an impending move, was thrilled to find no less than 50 of her old frocks to donate to the cause.
“There were [dresses] from Housewives that I was never going to wear again, but I didn’t really want to just get rid of them,” she tells Now To Love.
“There’s stories behind all of that and I’d love to give it to somebody else to enjoy.”
Chyka is donating 50 dresses, some of which she wore on Real Housewives of Melbourne. (Image: Supplied)
Chyka is one of many women across Melbourne who are giving up their pre-loved garments to the cause. Last year, women from six different AFL clubs donated some of their old dresses, including Laura McLachlan, wife of AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan.
The campaign donates the profits made from selling the dresses to Victorians experiencing homelessness.
Chyka was compelled to get involved, especially after being faced with the confronting stats: On any given night, there are more than 22,000 Victorians experiencing homelessness, and nearly 10,000 of these people are women.
“The thing that I’m very passionate about is any charity that involves children and women,” she explains.
“Hearing those statistics, you think that this is something that’s going to decrease – but it’s not. That’s what I think is really sad, and what we have to change.”
So far, the campaign has seen a whopping 1,500 dresses donated already, and more are coming in!
Chyka said she felt encouraged to see women come together to help in this way.
“These dresses, it doesn’t have to be the most expensive dress, it doesn’t have to be from your wedding or something else, it can just be a dress that you wore on your first date with your now husband, or the day you told your parents you were having a baby,” she says.
“And that’s what I love – knowing that there’s a story behind everything. And what was something special to you, can now become something special to somebody else.”
Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Chyka shared her delight for the campaign’s results so far, writing: “A huge big thank you to everyone who came down yesterday to donate a frock for @sacredheartmission. It was so exciting to see so many beautiful dresses being passed on the to the Give a Frock event.”
Chyka’s passion for helping the homeless has been fuelled by her own family ties. Her husband’s sister has worked in homeless shelters for 30 years.
“It’s actually been a big part of our family. She’s pretty extraordinary and would give her left arm to anyone that asked,” she said of her sister-in-law.
“It’s been something that we talk about and I really respect and appreciate what she’s gone through and she’s told us many stories of seriously sad and tragic situations.”
The dresses will be available for the public to purchase from Friday 19 October at the Prahan Op Shop.
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