“If it could happen to me, it could happen to anyone”
There was no single thing that led to Wendy becoming homeless. No one moment she could point to where everything changed.
She had a family, a home, a good job. By her own admission things were on track and looking good heading towards retirement.
“I was very naive and ignorant to not only how it could happen to anyone, but also how hard it is once you’re there to get out of it,” says Wendy.
The circumstances that led to Wendy experiencing homelessness started off all too familiar for people who end up in crisis. Following a family breakdown, she became isolated from the support of people around her. From there, a health diagnosis saw her spend months in hospital, leaving her unable to work and needing to move to a new city for ongoing treatment. In her unfamiliar surroundings, over a thousand kilometres away from her children, Wendy soon exhausted her savings and found herself in a situation that would have been unimaginable only a few years earlier.
“All it takes is one or two things to go wrong – that can happen to anyone.”
To add insult to injury, Wendy’s car was stolen during this time. It meant that not only was she without a way of getting around easily, but the bulk of her belongings, accrued over a lifetime, were gone. Without the security of a roof over her head to rely upon, Wendy spent many nights trying to find a makeshift bed out of her surroundings. Some nights it was a public car park, shipping container or underneath a picnic table. Often, she slept during the day in a public toilet with the door locked so she could stay alert at night for her safety.
The toll of her circumstances, exacerbated by trying to navigate the complexities of bureaucratic support systems, was a rough hand for anyone to be dealt.
What Wendy needed finally came after taking the advice of a friend who told her of an experience of receiving support from the St Vincent de Paul Society.
“You make a phone call to Vinnies and somebody answers… you get the support when you need it. That’s what makes the difference.”
Wendy’s experience of receiving support is what separates the Society from being any other charity or service provider. In taking the time to understand an individual’s personal circumstances, our members can be a light of hope for people going through the darkest of times.
Our members have been able to support Wendy with food, supermarket vouchers, clothing and help in finding accommodation, allowing her to afford important medications and travel to appointments as part of her ongoing treatment.
They’ve also assisted with a fridge which has been invaluable in storing food and allowing her to stretch each dollar a little further.
“It doesn’t matter what happens to me, how much things go wrong, or life just happens, I’m no longer afraid, because I have the support of a team of people from Vinnies behind me.
“I have hope for tomorrow because of Vinnies”
Wendy is continuing to get by with the support of the Society. She is hopeful of her health improving to the point where she can return to work and see her children again in-person.
Any one of the challenges that came Wendy’s way would have been difficult to overcome in isolation. When taken collectively, the toll of one hit after another was draining.
Everyone needs a helping hand in tough times and that’s what the Society aims to do every day.
“I can honestly, hand on heart, say that anybody who gives to Vinnies, the money is spent very wisely, and it makes a real tangible difference to countless lives.”