She never thought she’d end up homeless in her 60’s. Pauline had worked hard all her life. But when she developed health problems, her husband said he wouldn’t care for her. ‘Don’t come back’, he said, after she'd left their home to go to an appointment in the city.
She was alone, with very little money to her name, and a painful knee that made walking difficult.
The first place she stayed was frightening. “I didn’t feel safe”, she says, “but the women’s refuges were full and I had no other option.”
A terrified Pauline thought she’d have to spend the last years of her life sleeping rough and feeling unsafe.
As the housing crisis continues, women over 55 have become one of the fastest-growing groups of Australians facing homelessness.¹
They often end up in financial distress after working in low-income jobs or taking time out from the workforce to raise children. Family violence, financial abuse, and poor health all put women at risk of homelessness – and a lack of suitable low-cost accommodation means there are few places they can turn.
Why don’t we see women like this on the streets? The women Mission Australia support tell us they are ashamed and embarrassed by what’s happened to them. They secretly live in their cars, or move between the homes of family and friends.
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.
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*Names and images have been changed to protect the identity of the people we help.