As Victorians find themselves in a tighter lockdown, for many families, there is no end in sight. Instead, they face a long road of uncertainty with the ever-present risks of homelessness, mental health issues, domestic violence and the breakdown of their family.
With just an hour of notice Rashida*, a single mother, was in lockdown with her two young children. She could not leave the public housing complex for urgent supplies.
“We ran out of food and personal items in the first few days. My boys have specific dietary requirements, and I couldn’t get the things we needed. Food was left outside at the door, but we couldn’t use it – we only eat halal food. I kept calling all the numbers to get help, but most services only work until 5 pm”.
“We had to work very quickly to assess and prioritise needs, establish connections with the various services on the ground and set up our processes to provide seamless support. In addition to responding to the practical needs of the residents, our teams provided emotional and psychological support, including helping some residents manage the anxiety and trauma-related responses to the lockdown” – Yvette, AV’s Team Leader, COVID-19 Towers Response Team.
“I felt like we had a friend. These services sometimes lost the human connection, which is why the support that you provided has meant so much”.
With your help, we can reach more people in our community to ensure they have adequate support for mental health, family violence, and education that they so urgently need.
Please donate today.
* Name has been changed to protect privacy
