Many hardworking South Australians are scrambling to keep themselves and their families warm and fed this winter as the cost-of-living crisis worsens.

 

There is a growing number of people in our community who, on the surface, have access to employment, transport, and housing, but are stretched beyond their limits.

A donation to AnglicareSA’s Winter Appeal will support people like Amber* with everyday essentials they need to get by like food, clothing, hygiene supplies, and basic household items.

Amber is 25 and in the prime of her young adulthood. She enjoys her job at the supermarket as it gives her the chance to meet new people.

But behind Amber’s friendly smile lies a heavy burden as the weight of everyday decisions becomes overwhelming.

 

“I’m constantly adding things up. I’m putting stock on the shelves at work, but also wondering, when I am going to be able to afford these things,” Amber said.

 

“I pay the rent and then think wait, what am I going to eat?”

Amber said she was doing everything she could to make ends meet, but the cost-of-living crisis coupled with her employer cutting her shifts has left her feeling uncertain about the future.

It was not always like this for Amber. Not long ago she married her first love and was excited to start a simple, but happy, life together.

That was until last year when she and her husband faced the heartbreaking truth that their marriage had come to an end. Amber began the emotionally draining process of separation and trying to move out from their shared rental. Then her employer started reducing her shifts.

Initially, she thought she could weather the storm and limit her spending – but her income was almost halved.

 

 

Every rental Amber applied for was out of reach. Her income was not enough now that her hours had been cut so severely. Faced with rejection after rejection, Amber had no choice but to stay living with her ex-husband.

“We are separated, but neither of us can find anywhere else to go,” she said. “It’s really hard to find any affordable rentals.”

In today’s rental market, it is almost impossible for a single person on minimum wage to find somewhere affordable to live. The 2024 Anglicare Australia Rental Affordability Snapshot reported only 0.6 per cent of private rentals were affordable for a single person on minimum wage.

 

This statistic shrinks even further for single people reliant on income support.

 

The breaking point came when Amber needed urgent repairs to her car.

“I can’t get out of this cycle. My hours aren’t enough, I can’t get out of this house with my ex and then my car stopped working and I felt like the ground was spinning underneath me,” she explained.

That’s when she reached out to AnglicareSA’s Emergency Assistance service for help, initially asking for food but leaving with so much more.

“I just needed help with food, but they wanted to understand what was happening outside of that, to see if they could help,” Amber said.

“They asked about my living arrangements and whether I was safe or needed more support. They also offered to help with transport, asked me how I got there that day and if I needed any clothing.”

AnglicareSA’s Emergency Assistance locations continue to offer a range of helpful services while supporting people like Amber with dignity. These are warm, welcoming, and inclusive spaces operating across South Australia.

Thanks to generous donations from the community, our Emergency Assistance service supported more than 9,000 people last year from Adelaide’s CBD to Elizabeth, Christies Beach, Woodville, Wallaroo, Whyalla, and Maitland.

 

 

“I’m just really grateful that they were thinking of all those other things for me. It was nice to take that off my mind for a minute,” Amber said.

“This support helps me feel like I’m not just going around in circles. When I do the maths and I can’t make it all add up, I know that I can get some relief with food, and they can connect me to other services.”

Stories like Amber’s are both far too common and too often unheard. Too many are one unexpected expense away from losing everything. They need somewhere to turn and someone who can help.

 

Will you join us?

 

*Name changed to protect privacy.