House of Sadaqa began in 2010 in a garage in Castle Hill, and has grown into a Sydney charity running a family support program, homeless outreach and a family of businesses whose profits fund the work. This is how it happened, and where it is going.
It started in a garage
Rob “Bilal” Laidlaw, who accepted Islam around twenty-five years ago, started House of Sadaqa out of his own garage in Castle Hill in 2010. There was no warehouse, no staff and no funding. There was a simple idea: that families in Sydney going through the worst weeks of their lives should not have to face them alone.
What began in that garage outgrew four separate warehouses before settling into the current home in Revesby, where the charity has now been based for around six years.
Going global, then coming home
In 2013 the International Clothing Aid Program launched, shipping a 19 tonne container of clothing and shoes every month to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria and parts of Africa. As Bilal has put it, that program reached over a million people around the world.
Alongside it came a Sydney first: the Muslim community’s first op-shop, opened in Bankstown. It proved something that shaped everything after it. A charity could run a real business, serve its community affordable goods, and fund its own programs at the same time.
Meeting people where they are
Every month, volunteers head to Martin Place in the Sydney CBD for Clothe the Homeless, handing out clothing, shoes, sleeping bags, gloves, socks and beanies to people sleeping rough. It is unglamorous, consistent work, and it has been running for years.
Dean Mousad, co-founder of Brothers In Need and Project Qur’an, described the collaboration this way: “They are a very good bunch of brothers who have been around for many years and do a great job for the community.”
Closer to home, the Family Support Program helps local families in crisis with the practical things that let a household function again: a fridge, a washing machine, beds, and the essentials that turn an empty flat into a home.
Building businesses instead of asking twice
Most charities return to their community again and again for donations. House of Sadaqa took a different path: build businesses, and let the profits carry the programs.
- The Goodwill Shop, the op-shop model that started it, now running in Bankstown and Revesby.
- The Goodwill Laundry, a self-serve laundromat in Bankstown.
- Panda Paper, launched October 2024, giving 100% of its profits back to the charity.
- Goodwill Connect, an NBN provider for Greater Sydney, now live and trading.
Read more about how that model works in how our social enterprises fund family support.
Partners who show up
In October 2024, Suttons Chullora donated two Ford Transit vans and committed to donating $250 for every vehicle sold. Bilal’s response captured why vehicles matter to a charity that moves furniture and whitegoods: “These vans will act as a lifeline for so many people who rely on our services for survival.”
Bridgette Noun, Dealer Principal at Suttons Chullora, put it from the other side: “The work House Of Sadaqa does is absolutely inspiring.”
Jumping into freezing water
In mid-2024 around forty people jumped into the ocean at Maroubra Beach for the first Charity Winter Splash. It has since become an annual fixture, with the third edition held in 2026. Bilal described the appeal plainly: “We had people jumping into freezing water just to raise awareness for those struggling to stay afloat in life.”
What comes next
Ask Bilal where this goes and the answer is bigger than a bigger office. “I hope one day that we will be working from an IKEA-sized warehouse, with cafes and restaurants and with all of our programs running there, not just to have a big office but so we can benefit more people and help the Ummah as a whole.”
More recently he described it as “a place where we can offer even more, from employment training to community dining spaces, all while continuing to bring relief to those who need it most.”
From a garage in Castle Hill to that. The direction has not changed since 2010, only the scale.
Frequently asked questions
When was House of Sadaqa founded?
House of Sadaqa was founded in 2010, originally run out of founder Bilal Laidlaw’s garage in Castle Hill, Sydney.
Who founded House of Sadaqa?
Rob ‘Bilal’ Laidlaw, who accepted Islam around twenty-five years ago, founded the charity in 2010 and serves as CEO and President.
Where is House of Sadaqa based?
The warehouse, office and shop are at 6/60 Marigold Street, Revesby NSW, with the Goodwill Shop at 6/212 South Terrace, Bankstown NSW.
Is House of Sadaqa a registered charity?
Yes. House of Sadaqa Group Australia Limited is registered with the ACNC and endorsed by the ATO as a Deductible Gift Recipient and a Public Benevolent Institution, so donations over $2 are tax-deductible.
What does House of Sadaqa actually do?
Its main work is the Family Support Program, helping local families in crisis with household essentials and emergency relief, alongside Clothe the Homeless outreach, a youth program, Work and Development Orders, and a group of social enterprises that fund the charity.
Support the work behind this article
House of Sadaqa is a registered Australian charity helping local families in crisis with household essentials, whitegoods and emergency relief. There are three direct ways to be part of it:
- Donate, with donations over $2 tax-deductible
- Volunteer your time in the warehouse, on outreach runs, or at events
- Clear a NSW fine through a Work and Development Order
You can also support us without donating a cent, simply by choosing one of our social enterprises. Each one puts its profits back into supporting families:
- Goodwill Connect, NBN internet for Greater Sydney
- Panda Paper, premium bamboo toilet paper delivered to your door
- The Goodwill Laundry, self-serve laundry in Bankstown
- The Goodwill Shop, our op-shops in Revesby and Bankstown