b'April 2024Home ConnectWelcome to the April edition of Home Connect.Home story Stephs StorySteph and her three kids spent 18 months experiencing homelessness, couch surfing with a friend after she lost her family support systems.A roof over your head is not always a home.six months ago. In her Uniting Housing,Couch surfing can do damage to even theSteph has access to 12 months of case strongest of friendships. says Steph. If it management support.wasnt for my kids, I dont know how I would My home is my stability. Knowing that mehave got through everything. and my kids can put down roots here and weSteph and her kids spent 18 months in a state do not have to worry about leaving says Steph. of uncertainty, doing all they could to accessIt gives me and my kids an opportunity to get stable housing. connected to the community.I was on the emergency housing waitlist for 12Despite the hardship Steph has faced, she months. We never knew if we were going to get remains a pillar of resilience and positivity.a phone call offering us a place says Steph. No matter what life throws at me and theFrom couch surfing to emergency accommodation.kids I know we can get through it, she says.Steph was living in a state of instability. * This is a true story about a real person. The photo accompanyingthis story is for illustrative purposes only. It is not a photo of theWe moved into emergency accommodation in person featured in this story.a hotel for a short time. I was paying $800 renta fortnight says Steph. It left me and the kids with nothing. Share your ideas with us I was grateful I had support. I got food vouchers, food hampers or petrol vouchers to help me Wed love to hear what you wantget by says Steph. We were living off otherto see in this newsletter.peoples donations. E [email protected] support from Uniting, Steph and herkids moved into permanent ongoing housing1 Home Connect Newsletter April 2024'