Dear Friend
As the frost begins to settle and the nights grow longer, we embrace the spirit of giving.
St John's Care, unwavering in compassion, is reaching out for your support during our Winter Appeal when the plight of the vulnerable is most acute.
St John's Care is a parish-based service providing urgent relief across the ACT region. Your generosity is the lifeline for many, with our mission sustained by donations from the community, church groups, benevolent businesses, and kind- hearted individuals like you.
Our team is a unique blend of volunteers and professionals, adapting resourcefully to the diverse needs of those who come to our doors. Yet, the increasing number of crises our community is experiencing is complex.
With growing concern, we witness the increasing challenge of securing housing and the issues of those trapped in homelessness, a fundamental human necessity.
Those in dire need, including individuals grappling with severe health issues, disabilities, survivors of domestic violence, and vulnerable children, confront an average waiting period of 256 days for priority housing - a daunting span in the best of times, let alone in the harshness of winter.
Pamela a mother of two, is "lucky" enough to have an onsite van in a caravan park. However, the onsite fees keep rising but her pension does not. She and her young children are on the government waitlist for housing. No wonder she is struggling, paying 75% of her pension in rent.
The economic landscape has only heightened this struggle as rising interest rates pour into the rental market, tightening its grip on the financial stability of private renters.
The upsurge in requests for necessities like food and clothing is a telling sign of the times. Alarmingly, we now see homeowners, seeking help, trapped by the interest hikes that once seemed a distant concern.
ln our commitment to humanity, we innovate to provide respite-offering sleeping bags, tents, and backpack beds for those without shelter and ensuring that even those relegated to their cars or couches receive the warmth of a doona.
A recent testament to our efforts is the heart-wrenching story of a father and his two children, who, after six harrowing months of sleeping in their car, have finally found a sanctuary to call home. Their journey is a stark reminder of the lasting scars such hardship can inflict, particularly on innocent young lives.
Your gift to our Winter Appeal can kindle hope and offer the promise of shelter and security.
Banding together we make a difference.
With warm regards,
Jason Haines
Executive Officer