Desperate for a home

This week, I met a young family of four who had reached a point no parent ever wants to face. They arrived tired, anxious, and carrying everything they owned with them in the car. The three children stayed close, quiet in that way children sometimes are when life feels uncertain.

I was able to provide them with food, enough to ease the immediate worry of how they would eat over the coming days. We gathered staples, some fresh items, and a few things especially for the children.

But the truth is, as much as we want to, we can’t always meet every need that walks through our door.

What weighed heavily on my heart was that they had nowhere safe to stay. As a parent myself, it is incredibly hard to send a family away without accommodation especially when children are involved. In those moments, you feel the limits of being human. I gave them blankets and practical essentials, hoping at least they would have some comfort and protection during the night.

We also worked on the next steps. I provided referrals to doctors so the children could receive medical support, and I connected the family with First Canberra so they could access housing support and other services that may help them find a more stable situation.

Sometimes our role is not only to provide what we can immediately, but to stand beside people as they begin navigating a path forward.

As they left, the D thanked us quietly. There was still uncertainty ahead, but they were not walking it alone anymore.

Your support makes moments like this possible, the food to eat and blankets for comfort, the connections to vital services, and the reassurance that someone cares.

Thank you for helping us be there when families need it most.

Kind regards,

Jason Haines
Managing Director