“Wasn’t it cold last night?”
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At the moment, that’s a normal water cooler conversation we are all having with workmates, as the midwinter temperatures plunge.
For us, the cold nights are little more than a novelty – we come to work well rested after sleeping in our warm beds with electric blankets and quilts.
On Saturday night, some local people had a good taste of what it is like for the 100 or so people who sleep rough in the Shoalhaven each night.
All credit to those who took part – action always speaks louder than words.
Increasingly, the stereotype of the homeless as an elderly, alcoholic male is changing.
In our own community, we are lucky to have the wonderful support of John Purcell House which focusses on the plight of men who have fallen through the cracks of society.
But in a report on the problem, by the Wesley Mission, support worker Mary Reay describes the plight of the “hidden homeless” who she says are often bewildered and ashamed.
They are often women with children, escaping from domestic violence.
The report also talks about a “surge in first time homelessness caused by job loss”.
Often these people are from fairly affluent backgrounds. The sudden loss of income for families with a large mortgage and little savings in reserve can be catastrophic. Throw in some unexpected expenses such as medical bills or car repairs and people’s lives can spiral out of control very quickly.
There has been an increase, even in our local area, of families living in their cars while they try to access overstretched support services.
Congratulations to the organisers of the Shoalhaven Sleepout, which makes more visible a problem that is much more widespread than many of us think, and goes far beyond the bearded man sleeping on the park bench.