Our Impact: how Vinnies helped grandmother Angela* get back on her feet

Forced to quit her high-profile job to focus her energy on raising her grandchildren, who had been through family trauma, the single grandmother-of-three was struggling to make ends meet and soon fell into financial hardship.

“I remember one day I didn’t even have enough money to put petrol in my car,” she recalled.

“I was desperate for help. I called so many different organisations, but I had to drive out there to get help, but I didn’t have any petrol, so I couldn’t get there.”

Unable to get the urgent help she needed, Angela called Vinnies WA’s Emergency Relief Service Centre for support.

“Within a few hours of calling and speaking to someone, I had a visit from two lovely ladies, who turned up with food supplies and a fuel voucher,” she said.

“After always being able to cope, it was very challenging to experience hardship like this. Vinnies not only helped me with food and fuel, they helped me pay my bills and even referred me to financial counselling. It was such a relief to have help right away.”

Having developed a good rapport with Members from her local Conference, Angela got regular visits from Trish and Libby, who even stepped in to help after she underwent major surgery and was unable to walk or drive for weeks.

“Trish and Libby came over and they did my household chores, they were just incredible,” Angela said. “Without them, I don’t know how I would have got by.”

Soon set to finish her studies to become a certified Education Assistant, Angela has turned her life around, even securing a job at a local school that is flexible with her family commitments.

Read more about our impact across the year in our 2024-25 Impact Report here. 

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