Tash was lying in a hospital bed, recovering from an emergency c-section, when outreach worker Glenn told her Uniting had secured her family permanent housing.
“No more tents, no more cabins, no more anything. It was just something that was ours,” Tash says.
For Tash, the news was a glimmer of hope in an extremely stressful situation.
Just hours earlier, her baby girl Amelia had been delivered in breach position and had been airlifted to Sunshine Hospital, while she remained in Horsham Hospital unable to fly.
Now in her new home with partner Jayden, 3-month-old Amelia and the family’s two dogs and two cats, Tash says life looks very different thanks to the support Glenn and Uniting have been able to provide.
Right before the birth, Tash’s family had been living in a shed she had seen advertised on a public noticeboard – an upgrade from the tiny tent they were living in during her pregnancy. “Most of my pregnancy we lived in tents,” she says.
Tash’s family had been experiencing homelessness for several years, constantly moving from caravan parks to tents and sheds with their 4 pets Angel, Trixie, Elmo and Aquarius in tow. Jayden’s not a cat person, but after finding them abandoned in the street, he couldn’t turn a blind eye to them.
Speaking on their generosity towards others, Tash says “We’re always like that. We’d rather help people than let them struggle and not make it. Even if it bites us in the ass.”
When Jayden and Tash first started dating, Jayden was living in caravan park accommodation that Uniting had secured for him when he sought out homelessness support prior to meeting Tash. “Jayden was already homeless to start off with,” Tash says.
During this time, the couple were working in the caravan park, selling tea, coffee, sugar, dog food, and milk through a makeshift milk bar they set up for caravan residents. Other shops were two hours walk away, so Tash and Jayden created a space where caravan residents could come to them whenever they were in need.
After Jayden was attacked by a caravan resident known to them, they made the difficult decision to leave the park and move into a tent, kickstarting months of constant moving.
Tash said that without Glenn’s ongoing support and advocacy to secure them a home, they would still be living in a tent, and fears that Amelia may have been taken away from them.
“Glenn is awesome. When he found out Amelia was born, he came straight to the hospital. He got to see her within the first ten hours of life. He helped us with fuel cards so we could travel between Horsham and Sunshine hospital which is over 3 hours away. He helped with food; he helped with everything.”
Glenn remains in constant contact with the family, offering physical and moral support whenever it’s needed. Tash says that whenever they are struggling, Glenn immediately steps in and offers to provide mental health, food, and fuel support.
He’s also encouraged Tash to join a local mother’s group run by Uniting to help deal with the social isolation of being a new mum. The weekly Beans & Babies group at Uniting Wimmera Wellbeing Centre allows mothers and carers to connect over a warm brew and share their experiences.
“With Jayden working 5 – 6 days a week and me being at home by myself with just Amelia, it’s a lot,” Tash says. “I’m hoping (Beans & Babies) will get me a little friends circle that is all mums.”
Speaking on Glenn’s ongoing impact on Tash’s family, she says “Without Glenn, we’d be stuffed.”
Help support people like Tash and Jayden by donating to Uniting’s Winter Appeal.
