“Almost everyone is a disaster away from your life falling apart. You have a bad accident, and your life can fall apart so badly.” 

Sarah and her husband enjoyed an idyllic life, surrounded by friends and family. 

They lived in their home for ten years, with three young, happy and healthy kids. 

One day, Sarah’s husband suffered a motor vehicle accident that left him permanently disabled with a brain injury. 

With three kids, accumulating medical bills, soaring rent prices, and cost of living pressures, they struggled to stay afloat. “There are times where I just feel like our life situation is just kind of too heavy for [our] family,” said Sarah.

Sarah became the carer for her husband and three children, the youngest aged six. She was unable to work, leaving the family of five to move in with her husband’s parents. In the blink of an eye, Sarah’s family went from a home of their own to sleeping on the floor in one room.

Sarah became the backbone of her family, struggling every day to not lose hope. 

“It just gets hard and you kind of feel like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel,” said Sarah. 

Eventually, they found a safe and secure home in disability housing. Tragically, this proved temporary, as an administrative tribunal terminated their tenancy just days before December 25, leaving their children without the joy of a Christmas day. 

Then, Sarah reached out to the St Vincent de Paul Society for assistance. Claire, a volunteer of over 24 years came into their lives to offer a helping hand. “She’s been like a guardian angel ever since,” said Sarah. 

First, Claire assisted with bills, groceries, electricity, clothing, and guided Sarah through the social housing process. For Sarah, it was the unconditional support and compassion of Claire that meant the most, “The level of compassion and it’s true compassion. It’s really genuine. That’s the thing I’ve really found with Vinnies. Non-judgmental and just true compassion... It’s almost like having another family.” 

Claire has ensured the kids have had Christmas presents under their tree, food on their table every day and a roof over their heads. “At Christmas time, to be able to get a hamper or to have presents for the kids, it really makes a difference. The kids are excited, they feel loved,” said Sarah. 

Sadly, this story is not unique. It happens to thousands of families every year. In NSW, the St Vincent de Paul Society has assisted over 100,000 people through our members for the second year. 

More and more people are being trapped in the cycle of poverty due to housing instability, food insecurity and the cost of living pressures that affect everyone. In turn, more people are asking for help from the Society, “New people that we are finding, people that we’ve never seen before,” said Claire. 

The St Vincent de Paul Society helps in many ways, with food, clothing, electricity and rent as with Sarah, but also medical aid, education and more. 

However, without long-term solutions due to the lack of social housing and better welfare for carers and individuals living with a disability, people like Sarah have been forced to rely on short term assistance for long term survival. 

Sarah’s journey with social housing was incredibly strenuous. After many failed attempts at gaining secure housing, the Society advocated for her family to their local MP which achieved stable, subsidised housing for the family. They finally found a home, not just a place to stay. 

Please donate to the Vinnies Christmas Appeal so families like Sarah’s don’t have to go without. Through food, household bills and more, your support goes to the people who need it most, “At Christmas time, to be able to get a hamper or to have presents for the kids, it really makes a difference. The kids are excited, they feel loved,” said Sarah. 

This Christmas, Sarah’s family don’t worry about if they will have a roof over their heads that day, instead, they worry about how early their kids will make them wake up for presents. 

You can make a difference to families in your community like Sarah’s by making a donation to the Vinnies Christmas Appeal at nsw.vinnies.org.au/christmasappeal or calling 13 18 12.