Susan had worked hard to set up her life from a young age. She was working a full time job and had bought a house by the time she was in her early 20’s. Soon after this, she fell in love and got married.
Susan and her husband Greg went on to become a family with two children, who continued to live in the home that Susan bought when she was in her 20’s.
In the years that followed, as can so easily happen to any of us, Susan and Greg encountered difficult times that resulted in them both losing their jobs through no fault of their own. Susan tells us that her family then began “bouncing from crisis to crisis”. Not coping with the trauma, Susan’s husband became violent.
To protect her two children, Susan had no choice but to flee with them, leaving the home and security she had worked so hard for.
“You don’t realise how important home is, until you’re in that situation,” says Susan.
This is when Susan came to Hobart City Mission to ask for help.
“I’d tapped out all of our own resources” admits Susan, who knew she couldn’t rely on her family and friends for support anymore.
But asking for help was not easy. Susan says she felt “so much shame and humiliation”.
Susan was able to receive financial support through Emergency Assistance, to help her feed herself and the children, and to set herself up as a single parent.
Susan couldn’t believe her luck when she found out that her husband had decided to move to a different state, leaving the family home vacant for Susan and the children to move back into. Accommodation was now no longer a crisis for Susan, however she was left to pay the mortgage herself, whilst also supporting the children.
“Until this, I never realised how fast things can unravel,” says Susan. “Hobart City Mission has been the buffer between me losing my house or having a safe place to live. There are so many ramifications to a whole family and kids”
Susan continues to come to Hobart City Mission when she needs support through Emergency Assistance and Christmas Assistance.
Susan is just one example of the many people in Southern Tasmania who are experiencing hardship due to an unexpected life event – would you be prepared if your life was to turn on its head tomorrow? Would you know where to turn?
“When you’re younger, you don’t envisage ending up like this,” confesses Susan, but thanks to the support of community members like you, assistance is there when life does take a turn.
It is not too late to make a difference to someone like Susan. Call 6215 4200 or visit www.hobartcitymission.org.au/donate-now to donate to our Winter Appeal.
*model images used and name changed to protect privacy.
This article was published in HCM’s Spring Newsletter.
Read the other newsletter article, Hobart City Mission has become our second “family” here, or view the whole Newsletter here.
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