Food packages make a difference

Recently I was making some follow up phone calls to enquire about some of our clients and check their progress. Unfortunately, one of the clients told me she was in the hospital. I remembered DY from a few weeks ago when she came to the St John’s Care Centre to ask for assistance with some bills.

She has five children under 15 years of age. She told me that she had been admitted to Canberra Hospital with severe pain caused by an abscess a week prior. She was recovering well but had no income for that week and all five children were staying at her friend’s house. DY is a single mother who, prior to that incident, was working part-time as a coffee shop food and beverage attendant.

I asked her if she needed any assistance and what kind. She indicated that it would be of great help if we could provide food for her children as it was a bit of a strain on her friend. We organised for her friend S to come to SJC to collect a food package including fresh fruit, veggies, and snacks for the children for school lunches.

When we met S, we came to realise that she also needed some support with food, toiletries, and household cleaning items. S told me that her own two children loved honey on toast and honey was too expensive for them to buy in the shops. They would usually have a home brand syrup on toast as a substitute. When we gave S a couple of jars of honey (one for her kids and one for DY’s children) she beamed and couldn’t thank us enough!

Later that afternoon we received a phone call from Canberra Hospital. It was DY calling to say a huge thank you to SJC donors. Her voice was trembling…“I couldn’t have imagined a more positive impact than this, you guys have made a world of difference to me, my family and my friend’s family. You saved us from struggling for the next few weeks”.

The good news is that DY is scheduled to be discharged early next week. She said she is feeling optimistic about life, however, she and her children still need support until she is fully recovered and can return to work. SJC will continue to provide this family with food and basic necessities for the interim.

That is where SJC’s and our donors’ generous help counts. We can focus on the specific help a person/family require at any one a time.

Thank you so very much!

Kind regards,

Nailia, SJC Case Manager

Items required: Cup a Soup, Tinned Meat, Honey, 500ml Olive Oil , Womens Deodorant