One crisis away from homelessness - Vinnies Winter Appeal 2026
David had a plan to get by when his landlord gave notice to renovate the place he called home for 12 years.
As a long-time formwork carpenter, spending more than a decade working on high-rise projects, David was used to the routine of work. Taking on a fly-in, fly-out role in the mines, David mapped out a plan detailing how he would put his belongings in storage, continue to work, and stay at a hotel and with friends on his days off.
What he hadn’t taken into consideration was his job falling through.
With modest savings to draw upon and the hope of another job on the horizon, David believed he had only encountered a slight bump in the road. Instead, his situation quickly spiralled into a crisis. “I was thinking, ‘how am I going to get out of this?’,” David said.
Spending several months in an uncertain cycle, living from one day to the next out of a suitcase, David braved the elements on the streets and near the ocean, relying on the kindness of strangers for food.
He filled his days walking from his makeshift campsite to the library where he read and used Wi-Fi to look for jobs. Each application started with hope but soon the reality of his situation set in.
“When you haven’t got an address… you haven’t got a razor to make yourself presentable for an interview, it’s very hard,” he said.
Each night when David returned to his makeshift campsite, located underneath a fort near a playground, he was filled with the anxiety not knowing if his belongings would still be there waiting for him.
One night he discovered a sandwich bag alongside his suitcase, containing a note that lifted his spirits.
The note read:
“I hope this helps Here’s $3”
David never imagined that he would become homeless. He didn’t envision how one hitch could undo so many things so quickly. Three dollars wasn’t going to change his circumstances, but such an act of random kindness gave him hope that he wasn’t forgotten.
As the weeks went by and his suitcase began to deteriorate, David headed to a nearby Vinnies shop in search of a replacement. When speaking with the shop staff, he opened up about his circumstances. Deb, the shop manager, recognised David as someone in need and was driven to lend a hand.
“He mentioned how he didn’t get much sleep as any little sound or movement had him on edge,” says Deb.
After reaching out to a few connections and being directed to a nearby crisis accommodation service run by the St Vincent de Paul Society, Deb called to see if a bed was available for a stranger she had just met.
For the first time in a long time, David caught a break in his situation.
The St Vincent de Paul Society is uniquely placed to support people due to its extensive footprint in local communities. Through its network of members, retail shops, Vinnies Vans and specialist services, Vinnies connects people with the support they need based on their circumstances.
Mike, one of the case workers from Vinnies Services who supported David, recalls how stories like this have become increasingly familiar. “You can have nothing go wrong in your life and end up homeless due to circumstances,” said Mike. “It can happen to every one of us in a blink of an eye, unless you’ve got six months money saved up to be able to pay all your bills and survive, which most people don’t. [Most] people live week to week, pay cheque to pay cheque.”
“Homelessness is just around the corner and it doesn't select – it takes anyone.”
David spent two weeks at the service where he experienced a newfound appreciation for things he previously took for granted. A bed to sleep in. A shower to wash himself. Meals throughout the day.
He worked with the service staff to apply for housing and found a one-bedroom unit that he now calls home.
Having lived in survival mode, unsure of what the next day would bring or where his next meal would come from, Vinnies gave David the support to get back on his feet and look towards tomorrow.
“I got the place on the Wednesday, and I moved in on the Saturday. I lost everything in my storage unit. Vinnies organised furniture, fridge, appliances – the lot – cooking utensils, sheets, pillows. They supported me the whole way and with everything I needed.”
David is now back on the worksite and has kept in touch with the crisis accommodation service that was there for him. He keeps the note he received from Charlie as a reminder of the support he’s received.
Many people are only one crisis away from homelessness. David had worked his entire life and still experienced a period of time where he didn’t have a place to call home. In the words of his case worker, Mike: “it wasn’t anyone’s fault, it was just the situation”.
Your support of the Vinnies Winter Appeal will ensure people like David have somewhere to turn to in times of need.