Joan was 70 years old when she became homeless.
After her beloved husband of 50 years died, Joan’s eldest daughter stole all of her savings, and transferred the house into her own name.
Then they kicked Joan out of the family home and left her on the street.
She was desperate, terrified and completely alone.
But the shocking truth is, older women like Joan are becoming homeless in record numbers.
They’re our mothers, grandmothers and aunts. They’ve cared for others their whole lives, and deserve to enjoy their golden years feeling safe and secure. Instead, they’re being forced to sleep rough and fight to survive.
This winter, women like Joan urgently need your help. Donate now and you’ll help provide emergency accommodation so vulnerable older women have a safe place to sleep. You’ll help give nutritious meals and warm clothing to keep them healthy and warm. And you’ll help give the support they need to rebuild their life – and escape homelessness.
Please give generously.
The Problem
Women over 55 are experiencing homelessness at alarming rates.
Right now, in Australia, we’re experiencing a range of crises: the escalating cost of living, a shortage in affordable housing, gender inequality which negatively impacts women’s superannuation savings, and a rise in elder abuse, a form of family violence. And, sadly, older women like Joan are being hit hardest.
With living costs increasing significantly over the last few years, women like Joan are struggling to make ends meet. For many older women who are relying on their pension as their only income, they’re at a severe disadvantage when competing against double income earners in the rental market.
If they dedicated their lives to raising children, women often have much less in superannuation or savings than men. So if anything goes wrong, they’ll have no financial safety net.
Elder abuse is also becoming more common. Many older people, like Joan, become homeless after their relationship with their adult child goes downhill. Sadly, this is likely to happen easily, when an adult child is the main carer for their elderly parent.
Donate now and you’ll help make sure older women in crisis have a safe place to sleep, food, clothing and a chance to rebuild their lives.
Your generosity will help change lives. Here’s how:
Joan was a grieving widow when she was abandoned on the streets by her own children. Her money and life's savings stolen.
All she had was a small bag of belongings and the clothes on her back.
Because of the generosity of people like you, Joan was able to turn to Vinnies when she was desperate for help.
Donate now to help the growing number of older women like Joan experiencing elder abuse and homelessness. Your support will help provide immediate and long-term support they need to rebuild their lives.
You’ll provide food and clothing
Your donation will help give nutritious food and winter clothing to an older woman in crisis. You’ll help make sure she has the basics she needs to survive the cold weather.
You’ll help pay for emergency accommodation
Donate now and you’ll help cover the cost of crisis accommodation, so an older woman has a safe place to sleep.
You’ll help her rebuild her life
Your donation will help an older woman into long-term housing and help provide furniture and white goods for her new home.
All donations over $2 are tax-deductible.
Donate Now
Your Impact
Sleeping rough on the streets on long, cold nights can put older women at increased health risks. Vulnerable and lonely, they need your help.
Donate now and you'll help give older women the support they desperately need to feel safe and escape the terrifying cyle of homelessness.
“You really can't express how grateful you are and how happy you are, to think you're on the street one minute and 12 months later you've got a home, somewhere to call your own again,” – Joan, who became homeless at 70 years old.
Give to a local cause
Your gift this winter will make sure older women experiencing homelessness like Joan have a safe place to sleep, nutritious food, warm clothing and the support they need to rebuild their lives.
A big thank you to our Supporters
The real heroes who are kindly helping us achieve our goal
Susan Middleton
$68
Patricia Maxwell
$70
Herman Wing Hong Yu
$100
Bettena Henty
$100
Joe Phillips
$26
Leanne Rice
$11
Lois Malone
$1.02k
Sook Hun Fong
$192
Teresa Pirola
$106
Louise Gwynne
$2k
John Pow
$5.02k
Sharon English
$100
Elizsbeth
$317
Ross Wilkinson
$68
Marisa Vella
$68
Gerard Mcgauran
$520
George Battikha
$69
George Battikha
$69
Nick Chapman
$50
Bernard Fridman
$67
Nikki Templeton
$98
Kathryn Magarey
$400
Doug Hawkins
$106
Donna Lewis
$98
Judith Lythall
$25
Robin Solomon
$98
Veronica Harrison
$98
Robert Taranto
$106
Lyndall Coles
$68
Gabe Chapple
$211
Tim Breakspear
$306
Heather Egan
$98
David O’connor
$96
Belinda Murray
$53
Prasad Jayawickrema
$40
Liora Novick
$98
Sheila Terry
$106
Catherine Gray
$300
Tabatha Smith
$500
Gregory Keary
$70
Roland Fong
$31
Bill Farrelly
$500
Lesley Light
$21
Michael Hewitt
$106
Kelly Kirbg
$98
Ann Cunningham
$420
Matthew Augimeri
$100
Vinee Lui
$17
Karen Birner
$53
Kendall Morris
$98
William Healy
$52
Daniel Bortolazzo
$98
Natalie Lenton
$68
Bronwen Morrison
$98
Eugene & Wendy Fernandez
$106
Jennifer Perry
$64
Ilda Wade
$68
Luke Briscoe
$68
Jean Cockayne
$200
Peter Francis
$5.02k
Leon Newbery
$106
Gillian Bullock-roberts
$98
Jose Corona
$68
Emily Spaninks
$158
Tat Loon Teh
$200
Katie Young
$192
Grace Moufarrege
$64
Liz Genford
$98
Paul Scott
$51
Kim Sharples
$37
Cathy Lea
$21
Sharyn Walker
$400
Loretta Nicholson
$100
Peter Marshall
$1.52k
Mary Celonia Jansen
$68
Mushi Indu
$9
Margaret North
$2k
Michael Sheridan
$192
Grace Mo
$53
Vernon Tanna
$53
Talia Epstein
$200
Sarah Jenkins
$53
Mary Lou Merven
$98
Vartika Vijay
$21
Ann O'loughlin
$100
Lisa Franey
$106
Krirkyot Kaewpijit
$26
Adam Mcilrick
$50
Peter Horton
$106
Carmel Hillier
$150
Sheryl A Young
$98
Olive Boden
$68
David Sutherland
$211
Jennifer Lockley
$68
Catherine Quan
$317
Alan Macpherson
$53
Peter Short
$52
Suzanne Haddan
$5.02k
Joanna Robinson
$106
Darko Kuzmanovic
$520
