This is my son trying to eat, during the months we were bunked out in a friend of a friend’s granny flat when we couldn’t get a rental. (He had a “worried tummy”.)
Even today, years later, he struggles with complex meals… the lasting impact of a housing crisis that plunges 800 people like us into homelessness every fortnight.
I share my story as often as I can because I don’t think our Government really understands. I don’t think they feel it in their bones the way we do – the nagging worry, the decisions we make between medical appointments or school shoes or fruit. The despair of ever working our way out of it.
Also I think when we share stories as a community it helps us to connect, and helps us make change when often things feel so hopeless.
Things aren’t hopeless – we do have the power to change them. And there ARE people who care enough about what you’re going through to do something about it.
I’m one of them.
So hang in there. We’re working on it. (Eat the mushy stuff last.)
Read my full story – A mum’s nightmare: Australia’s housing crisis