“How did we get here?” – Vinnies Christmas Appeal
You can make a difference to families in your community like Joanne’s by making a donation to the Vinnies Christmas Appeal at nsw.vinnies.org.au/christmasappeal or calling 13 18 12.
Joanne has spent her professional life supporting people as a social worker. She never expected to be the one needing support.
Living with her partner, Max, and their 11-year-old daughter, Harper, Joanne was able to stay above water on a dual income with enough left over to create lasting memories for her family.
But as costs began to rise across the board from food to household bills, Joanne felt the pressure of needing to cut back on household spending. Despite her best efforts to stretch every dollar, and Max going without meals to ensure Harper didn’t have to do the same, that didn’t spare her from the shock of a rent increase, which in turn led her to reach out to the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW for assistance.
“I worked with very vulnerable families in my past as a case worker, and I used to refer them to services. And now, I’m the one that’s needing the services,” says Joanne.
“When did this happen? How did we get here?”
For people like Joanne, the rising cost-of-living means that the same pay check doesn’t go as far as it once did. Her fortnightly grocery bill previously came in at under $200. Today, she can only get a fraction of what she used to, meaning she must absorb more of her budget or go without.
The Society NSW has been able to ease the load for Joanne, providing food vouchers, clothing through our Vinnies Shops, and support with school supplies for Harper.
“I’m disappointed that life is like this, but I’m also grateful that there’s kindness and there’s services that can help out there.”
The St Vincent de Paul Society NSW supports over 100,000 people annually through our members, providing emergency relief with food, clothing, accommodation, household bills and much more.
Cost-of-living pressures are driving people to reach out in their times of need, including over one in four people doing so for the first time during the past 12 months. Our members have also seen an emergence of circumstances similar to Joanne’s with a third of households reaching out renting in the private rental market.
As the cost of housing, food, utilities and day-to-day essentials keeps going up, more and more people are reaching out for support as Ben, one of our Vinnies Support Centre Coordinators, can attest.
“We’ve got more people in private rentals now asking for assistance than people in social housing,” says Ben.
On a typical day, the Vinnies Support Centre Ben oversees can see anywhere from eight to 15 people in need of assistance. The need is even greater during the Christmas season with as many as 30 people seeking assistance daily. And this is just one of many Vinnies Support Centres throughout the state.
Our members and volunteers strive to understand each person’s individual circumstances and provide assistance that is tailored to their needs. This can look like providing food and supermarket vouchers to create space in a household budget to pay a utility bill or make the rent.
The Christmas period is another time where the Society NSW steps up by providing hampers and presents so that no one has to go without.
“We get parents coming in who are struggling and they just want that little bit of magic for their kids.”
“Seeing their eyes light up, the biggest smiles, it’s the happiest moment they’ve had in so long,” says Ben.
For Joanne, Christmas will look different this year after she was hit with yet another rent increase which will place her under pressure once again.
“We haven’t even been here 12 months and we have to move out because we can’t afford the rent,” says Joanne.
Joanne’s life right now looks different to the one she was living only a few years ago. Her budget doesn’t go as far as it used to. Harper is growing quickly and set to start high school in the new year, meaning added financial pressure with things like new uniforms and a laptop. The load she has to carry is heavy but it’s made lighter knowing she can turn to the Society NSW for assistance. As Christmas approaches, after a year of having to go without so much, Joanne is grateful to know food will be on the table and a few presents will be under the tree.
“To be able to provide the things that Vinnies can is unlike anything else, like I don’t even have words to describe it. I think it’s so important and such a blessing for them to be in a position to be able to help.”
“And, if I’m ever in a better financial position, the first thing I’ll be doing is giving back.”