August 5 marked the start of Homelessness Week in Australia, hosted by Homelessness Australia to build community support and government commitment to end homelessness.

This week presents an opportunity to share personal stories and put a face to homelessness – to move beyond statistics and acknowledge that those experiencing homelessness are real people, living real lives.

This Homelessness Week I want to share my own story with you – not to make it all about me, but because something that happened to me last year profoundly impacted how I view the work that Vinnies does, and why a whole of community response is required to make inroads into reducing homelessness.

On August 8 last year I was at Adelaide Oval attending ‘The Power of Her’, a symposium hosted by the State Government to advance gender equality and open doors for future generations.

Along with about a thousand others, I was spellbound listening to Sam Bloom of the book and movie fame ‘Penguin Bloom’ talk about her life as a wheelchair user as a result of an accident.

She spoke about how her good days were ‘diamonds’ while other days were ‘gravel,’ and how you never know what’s around the corner. For me, what was around the corner presented itself by phone only a few minutes after Sam left the stage to rapturous applause and not a dry eye in the house. My husband called to tell me that our home in the Adelaide foothills was on fire, and that eight appliances were trying to put out the blaze. Rather unsuccessfully as it turned out, despite their best efforts.

In the blink of an eye, my day turned from diamonds to gravel… and quickly to ash. I was, in an ironic twist, homeless.

Of course, it was devastating. I am still upset by the destruction of a house we had worked so hard for, by the loss of so many treasured possessions and one-of-a-kind keepsakes, and by the loss of our ‘normal lives.’ The house is slowly being reconstructed, but it will never be quite the same, and neither will we.

There were, and are, a lot of losses, including our two cats, but we had a supportive family, large and generous networks of friends, colleagues and community, jobs, and some money in the bank. We stayed with family while we found a rental through a colleague, and leaned on people who helped us come to terms with what had happened and provided advice about how to move forward.

While there were many occasions when I felt quite sorry for myself, I was also aware that we were really very lucky.

I have reflected on all this and contrasted our experience with that of many of the people who come to Vinnies for help. They often have none of those things I sometimes took for granted: no family to rely on, minimal or no wider networks. If they’re not working, no colleagues; and if they are working – which many more people coming to us for help are – they may be too ashamed to share the reality of their situation in their workplace for fear of being judged.

When people in these circumstances are at their lowest ebb, for whatever reason, it’s very hard for them to simply ‘pick themselves up.’

And that’s where Vinnies comes in.

We provide the network where there isn’t one. A network of more than two and a half thousand volunteers, a committed support staff, and generous supporters who, together, help people feel valued; that they are worthy of being cared for, and that they too deserve the good things in life.

We help them navigate through difficult times and advocate for them when they get lost or forgotten.

And, of course, we provide very practical assistance to help them maintain housing if they have it, such as support to pay their bills and rent, put food on the table, and sometimes even a table to put that food on.

If they don’t have a home, we welcome them into our crisis centres where they have a safe place to sleep, access to nourishing food, information, and advice, and staff and volunteers who really care about what happens to them when no one else does.

2024 marks 140 years since the St Vincent de Paul Society was founded in South Australia. I have mixed feelings about this milestone; there is certainly pride in being part of an organisation that has supported the South Australian community in such an enduring fashion. But, of course, we all wish there wasn’t such a great need for our services, and that’s what drives us to make change.

We can’t do it alone, however. The expression ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ could be equally applied to people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. Shifting the needle on homelessness statistics in a truly meaningful way will take a collective and sustained effort from organisations like Vinnies, government of all levels, businesses and our community at large – that’s you.

It’s easy to turn a blind eye when we are confronted with homelessness, mostly because the average person doesn’t know where or how to start.

However, I truly believe there is a great sense of goodwill in the community when it comes to wanting to support those without a home – I see it firsthand with leaders turning up for the Vinnies CEO Sleepout, and through our generous community of donors.

Their financial support makes it possible for Vinnies to provide a much-needed safety net for those who – for whatever reason – don’t have the social and community ties that are so crucial during difficult times.

If you’re looking for some ideas on how you can make a difference, here are a few suggestions:

• Stop and have a chat with someone who is sleeping rough. Ask them what they need – it’s not always food.
• Raise awareness across your networks – online and offline – about homelessness. Knowledge is power.
• Take a keen interest in policy around homelessness/housing and cost-of-living support. What are your local MP’s views?
• Give some of your time and expertise or make a financial donation to Vinnies or another charity supporting people experiencing homelessness.

This Homelessness Week, every small action can contribute to a larger impact in the fight against homelessness. By getting involved and encouraging others to do the same, you can help create a more supportive and compassionate community.

Find out more about Homelessness Week 2024 at www.homelessnessaustralia.org.au/homelessness-week/

For more information on how you can support Vinnies and make a difference, visit www.vinnies.org.au

Evelyn O’Loughlin is CEO, Vinnies SA