Pillar Christmas Appeal

Christmas can be tough on single mothers.

Even more so on Rose, a mother of 3 beautiful children, who’s trying to lift the shadow of severe domestic violence that they were exposed to.

Not only is she navigating the challenges of raising kids with limited financial resources, but she has the added complexity of Autism and mental health concerns.

Gary recently became the sole caretaker of his 5 children. Each of his kids, ranging from 6 to 15, require disability support. But only 2 of them receive NDIS funding. As well as the challenges he faces with day to day parenting, the financial strain on Gary has become immense. Relying solely on a carer payment and family tax benefits, he faces the daunting task of making ends meet. Rent, bills, medical expenses, and the daily costs of raising five children – it all adds up.

To make matters even worse, his car recently broke down. Without a vehicle there is just another layer of difficulty of getting the kids to and from school and medical appointments.

Do you ever imagine yourself being alone on Christmas day?

Chad and Dale have no other choice.

Even though they wish it was different, each of them is disconnected from they’re families.

And with limited finances, it doesn’t seem like they’ll have a very jolly Christmas this year.

As a First Nations person, Valery lets her generosity and warmth shine through whenever her family comes to visit. Using her own limited resources, she looks after her family during their stay.

But since she’s a single mum, she finds it hard to pay her bills afterwards.

Annelise has been diagnosed with advanced breast cancer and a brain tumour.

Darwin, her husband, was the breadwinner for the family. But due to a devastating car accident and injuries he sustained at work, he hasn’t been able to work for the past year.

They can’t even access Centrelink payments because Darwin’s compensation case is pending.

Medical expenses are adding up, and with no income, affording food and fuel is a struggle.

Mary-Louise’s journey has been a tumultuous one.

Her life is marked by domestic violence, the weight of generational trauma, daily struggles of living with disability, and the relentless battle against mental health concerns.

Yet, she’s determined to provide the best life possible for her 2 children.

A recent fire in her home only added to her financial stress. Luckily, no-one was hurt, but a cabinet in her home was destroyed which she’ll now have to replace.

Karen is the sole carer of her 2 grandsons, Tim and Barney.

With no other family in Perth, Karen is under severe stress of looking after her grandchildren. This only intensifies her unmanaged mental health conditions.

Finances are tight. Karen struggles to feed and support both kids. The process of reaching out to organisations overwhelms her and she has a deep fear of being judged. Hence, they’re not connected to mainstream organisations, other than the Department of Communities (Housing).

A house in disrepair, past family trauma, and isolation all makes Christmas a very difficult time for Karen and her family. 

Going to school is tough on Zac. Even though his therapy team has made tremendous strides in his capability to cope at school, he still isn’t able to attend a whole day. 3 hours at most.

Since Suzy is a single mother and Zac’s sole carer, she can’t work. She must be available to pick Zac up from school when the day is getting too much for him. Suzy is still patiently waiting on Centrelink to approve her carer’s allowance.

2023 has been a hard year for them. They’ve been on the brink of homelessness, only to eventually move in with family and share a room. Luckily, Pillar has been able to help them find accommodation through public housing.