Anne* arrived at Uniting’s services during one of the hardest times in her life.
Newly arrived in Australia, she found herself alone with a newborn baby. She had fled a violent relationship and was now trying to start again in an unfamiliar country.
“I was fearing for my life,” says Anne. “The abuse he was putting me through was too much.”
Without family, friends, or a support network to lean on she also carried the weight of postnatal depression.
“I was on my own,” says Anne. “To deal with a newborn baby and being a first-time mum … it was really, very stressful.”
Struggling with the financial strain of raising her child alone, Anne found that her income support barely stretched to cover the bills.
Luckily, she found Uniting, and Food For Families offered her the practical support she needed to find her footing again.
“It covered my needs and my baby’s needs – milk, nappies, even little things like crackers that children love,” says Anne.
Thanks to her local service’s variety of foods, Anne could share her heritage with her baby, helping them stay connected to their culture in Australia.
“Even though we may not be back home, this food can give us a sense of home,” she says.
Beyond putting food on the table, this support gave Anne the confidence to start moving forward.
“The biggest thing was getting myself back,” she says. “Reminding myself that I am strong. I can do this. I am more than enough.”
Anne shared her message of appreciation to those donating to Food For Families.
“Thank you for being supporters of this wonderful program. It makes a lot of difference … helping us to live without worry,” she says.
“It’s a huge relief to someone with limited support and income … getting to put even one meal on the table. It makes a big difference.”
Register now to collect food for families like Anne’s.
*This is a true story about real people. Some details such as names have been changed to respect the wishes of the person featured. The photo accompanying this story is for illustrative purposes only. It is not a photo of the person featured in this story.
