Donate and change a child's life

You can help protect
kids like Jack* from
hunger and
homelessness
DONATE NOW

Children like 7 year old Jack shouldn't have to worry about where they will live and where their next meal will come from.

With the cost of living soaring in Australia, more and more Australian families like Jack's are struggling to pay for rent, petrol, utilities, and food. Single-parent families, or those with a single income, are much more likely to be pushed over the poverty line and out of their homes, where they’re unable to properly care for their children - or keep them safe.

With 1 in 6 children and young people already living in poverty^ this is an escalating crisis we can't ignore.

Your generous gift can help provide life-changing support for families like Jack's with emergency food relief, electricity and gas vouchers, clothing, and furniture. As well as immediate, targeted support to families in crisis that will help keep families together so children like Jack don't end up homeless and traumatised.

*Names changed and models used to protect privacy.
^Poverty in Australia, 2020, ACOSS/UNSW overview report.

✓ One-Off

Monthly

$199 can help provide educational supplies like new school uniforms and shoes to disadvantaged children like Jack.

$75

$199

$300

Other Amount

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Jack's story

"What will happen to me when mummy dies?" - Jack

Jack was just 7 when he lost his mum to cancer. It came out of nowhere and claimed her life very quickly.

Up until then he had lived with his mum, Rachel*, and his 2-year-old sister Katie* in community housing. His mum Rachel had been the sole supporter, working part-time as a florist and was a devoted mum to Jack and Katie. Jack's dad suffered with mental health issues and had never lived with them or supported them in any way.

When Rachel died, Jack's world turned upside down. His dad Damo*, as the only living parent, was forced to take over the care for Jack and his sister even though he had no experience or resilience as a parent. Jack's dad's mental health deteriorated even further and he was unable to work and struggled to pay for rent and food. Jack and his sister were always hungry and Jack skipped school a lot because of his own crushing grief at losing his mum.

Without help, Jack's dad could lose their home and with the major lack of affordable housing the reality is Jack and his sister Katie face the very real risk of being homeless and having to sleep in a car.

When Barnardos stepped in, they realised Rachel's family needed immediate support to keep Jack and Katie safe to avoid the need to take them into foster care.

With the soaring cost of living in Australia, all it takes is a single event to push a vulnerable family into real crisis. That event could be a tragedy such as the death of a parent like Rachel, a medical or physical illness, a lost job, a family breakup, or something as ‘minor’ as an unexpected bill. When that happens, children can suffer terrible trauma that can impact them for the rest of their lives.

Your support today will provide life-changing help to struggling families and protect kids like Jack from experiencing hunger and homelessness.

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Your donation makes all the difference

Your gift can provide immediate and life-changing support to struggling families and children living in poverty.

Here are some ways your vital support can make an impact:

Emergency food relief
$75 can go towards providing groceries to families struggling financially, so children don’t go hungry and can enjoy healthy nutritious meals.

Educational supplies
$199 can help provide educational supplies like new school uniforms and shoes to disadvantaged children like Jack.

Specialised counselling
$300 can go towards providing specialised counselling to help children like Jack process their emotions and deal as best as they can with loss and trauma.