Gaining a community of support

Your support of the Vinnies Christmas Appeal can have a transformative impact for families doing it tough.

Tania has faced more challenges in a few years than most people face in a lifetime. 

Relationship breakdowns. Mental health diagnoses. Poverty. 

Through the toughest of days, she has persevered because of a constant source of hope. 

“I just look at my kids and that’s why I keep going.” 

Raising a teenage son and younger twin daughters on her own, the continued cost-of-living crisis has had devastating and unrelenting impacts for families like Tania’s, who try to stretch their finances further as costs keep going up. 

“At the end of a fortnight, I have $53 and I don’t get paid until Friday.” 

“I’ll work out how much money I’ve got per day for the fortnight… I can’t just go to the shops and go, ‘we’ll get this, this and this without knowing a budget. 

“I have to pay for medication, it’s $20, but that’s $20 in fuel or something else. 

“It means that we have to stay home and have two-minute noodles for the next couple of days – it is what it is, [my daughters] need those antibiotics. 

“If I have to go without, I will go without.” 

Thankfully, Vinnies has been able to ease the load for Tania with support for her family. 

First coming into contact with the St Vincent de Paul Society when she received a notice to vacate her rental property, Vinnies members were able to provide immediate support with food and clothing. 

Gaining further assistance with referral services, including essential prescriptions for her twin daughters who live with chronic asthma, the ongoing support culminated in a transformative moment where she was offered a place through community housing that she now calls her forever home. 

“I surprised my kids on the Friday when I picked them up, we started moving in that night, and then had our first night on the Saturday.” 

“It’s home – safety, stability.” 

Tania regards the support she has received from Vinnies as a community, “it’s not just one person that deals with you, it’s everyone coming in to help.” 

This community is far-reaching with St Vincent de Paul Society NSW members supporting close to 100,000 people over the past year. 

This alarming figure – rising by 14% from the previous 12 months – has placed significant strain on the most basic of needs with four in five people requesting food assistance and close to half citing housing stress. 

People in Tania’s circumstances – sole parents with dependents – made up close to a third of the people seeking assistance. 

The rising cost-of-living remains an ever-present issue for Tania, as she works to manage competing expenses that result in having to make choices that no one should have to weigh up. 

These choices are heartbreaking and reflect the demand for support at all times of year, but especially at Christmas. 

Between November and January, 40% of all the people supported by St Vincent de Paul Society members in the last financial year requested some form of assistance. 

With the support of Vinnies in place, Tania is looking towards the Christmas season with renewed hope. 

“It’s not just a one-day event, it’s the lead up to it – I love the anticipation – I know what they’re getting, but I’m so excited to see them get it! 

“Watching their faces light up while we’re making Christmas breakfast, whether it’s pancakes or bacon and eggs, and then getting to go and open up presents… they’re so excited and watching them playing with them. 

You can make a difference to people in your community by making a donation to the Vinnies Christmas Appeal at www.vinnies.org.au or calling 13 18 12.