Home is the place we return to at the end of a long day. It’s where children sleep safely, where families gather and where we find warmth when the winter cold sets in. But for too many people across Aotearoa New Zealand, home is uncertain.
The Salvation Army’s Hope for Homeless Families Winter Appeal is revealing the truth behind the statistics. Growing numbers of children are sleeping in cars, cold garages, or moving from couch to couch because there is nowhere else to go.
One family supported by The Salvation Army knows just how quickly life can unravel. When housing options ran out, Jack and Tula* and their four children moved between friends’ and relatives’ homes, never able to stay for long. Eventually, they had no choice but to live in their van.
Thanks to Salvation Army support, the family was able to move into a four-bedroom social housing home.
“Words cannot describe the relief of having a stable roof over our heads,” says Jack. “We finally have space to put down roots and start again.”
Stories like Jack and Tula’s remind us that homelessness can happen to anyone, and that practical support, compassion and hope can make a life-changing difference.
Please support the Winter Appeal. Visit SalvationArmy.org.nz/Winter and give what you can. Your gift could ensure that every family, every young person and every child in New Zealand has a safe place to call home.
*Names have been changed to protect the identities of our clients.
