Care flows back into community

“Typically, when you are getting calls, you assume the call is for a need, but Sarah was calling to ask how she could help and give something significant back to the community!” – Lieutenant Brad Whittle, Salvation Army Mt Isa Corps Officer and Mt Isa Recovery Services Centre Chaplain

After her husband Errol suffered a major heart attack, underwent surgery and, as a result, lost his mining job, Sarah says life became very difficult for the Mt Isa family.

The first blow came when the couple found out that they were not entitled to their insurance cover because Errol's condition was seen as a curable.

The family had always had an income and always paid their bills on time and Sarah says: “It was a very drastic change and it came very, very quickly. Once we paid rent, we were left with $18.20 a fortnight. Then, for example, just one school book-list for one high-school child is $278, so it became very tough, very fast. It caused such a strain on our relationship, and on our mental health.”

It was then that The Salvation Army came on board to help the family in this time of struggle. Sarah says: “The Salvos organised a beautiful gift for each of our children for Christmas. And during the year they made up food hampers or helped us with vouchers for food. I felt bad, but they just made us feel loved.”

Errol and Sarah had started a cleaning business and they say the Salvos were a great support while this business slowly built up.

To “pay back the love”, Errol and Sarah, three of their children and some friends, decided they would make over 500 two-course meals, plus hampers, and hundreds of lolly bags for kids, for Christmas 2014. They distributed these to emergency shelters in the area, including The Salvation Army’s Serenity House. The couple have since offered some cleaning services to Serenity House and have distributed more support to local shelters.

“It is a lovely feeling to give to others,” Sarah says, “and we know through our experience, it is also lovely to know there were people who cared enough to help us back on our feet. It was so encouraging!”

Families facing unprecedented struggle

You can help others like Sarah and her family back on their feet through a hard time, by reaching out to them when help is most desperately needed. And the need is great! It is now estimated 2.5 million Australians live below the poverty line, including 603,000 children.

More than 2400 people, visiting 262 Salvation Army centres around the nation, were surveyed for the 2015 Economic and Social Impact Survey (ESIS) with disturbing findings showing that, on average, people had just under $18 a day to live off after accommodation expenses. The $18 a day would then need to cover expenses such as food, health, medical, clothing, education and utility costs.   

Fifty six per cent of respondents said their current financial situation was worse than last year. Eighty-seven per cent of adults and 60 per cent of children surveyed reported severe deprivation (and went without more than five essential items in life) and 57 per cent had gone without meals. 

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