Yana was pregnant, homeless and afraid.
For months, she and her eight-year-old daughter, Grace had been couch-surfing. They’d been forced from their home by a sudden rent rise.
Her ex-partner had left when he found out about the baby.
She felt embarrassed by her situation, and afraid she’d be judged, but eventually Yana reached out to Mission Australia for help.
Yana was pregnant, homeless and afraid.
This Christmas, there are many more mums like Yana in crisis. Please help them find a safe home.
Yana went into hospital to have her baby, not knowing if they’d have a home to return to afterwards.
Thanks to the kindness of the Mission Australia community, Yana brought Grace, and her new baby sister Evie, to temporary accommodation.
The stability helped Yana get Evie into a routine, while she worked on securing a long-term home for her girls.
“I just want my children to have a better life than I did,” says Yana.
No child in Australia should be homeless, and no loving parent should have to struggle so much to find a safe home for their family. Please help here now.
Despite the challenge of caring for a new baby and an eight-year-old alone, Yana turned things around.
Mission Australia was able to help her organise counselling for Grace, who had struggled with the loss of her old home. Yana applied for Centrelink payments that helped her provide for Grace and Evie, and save money for a bond.
Eventually, the little family found a place where Yana could give her girls the stability and routine they needed.
She was overjoyed at the chance to make a home for her children.
Australia is in a homelessness crisis, but with the right support, families like Yana’s can overcome difficulty and build brighter futures.
Your gift today can help hold a family together and keep children safe. Please give generously.
Australia’s Homelessness Crisis
1 AIHW (2022) Specialist homelessness services annual report 2021-22
2 ABS: Census of Population and Housing: Estimating Homelessness (2021)
3 A Safe Place to Call Home: Mission Australia’s Homelessness Impact Report 2023
Rising rents are putting more mums like Yana at risk of homelessness.
Donate to help families find a safe home.
Our promise to you
Mission Australia has been helping people move towards independence, and our commitment to this vital work has never been stronger.
Thanks to your support, together we helped 149,096 people in 2023 by combatting homelessness, assisting disadvantaged families and children, addressing mental health issues, fighting substance dependencies, and much more.
In 2023, 91% of our income went straight back into delivering services that assisted vulnerable Australians.
We appreciate every donation we receive and ensure that each dollar goes where it is needed most.