Family Support Program already at capacity

Media Release

A new program to support families experiencing homelessness is already at capacity as Perth is named the most unaffordable city for renters for the second-year running.    

Launched by St Patrick’s Community Support Centre (St Pat’s) late last year, thanks to the generous support of The Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, the Family Support Program provides assistance to the growing number of families with children facing homelessness in Perth’s south metropolitan region.  

“We knew that the need was great, but we weren’t expecting to be inundated with so many families quite so quickly,” St Pat’s Chief Operating Officer, Traci Cascioli, said.    

Families like Rebecca Hendrix and her two children, who were sleeping in tents until a sudden medical diagnosis meant their situation went from crisis to life-threatening.   

“I’d been so focused on getting my boy to school and thinking about where we were going to sleep the next night, that when the pain started, I’d just put up with it,” Ms. Hendrix said. 

“When I was told I had Stage 3 cancer, that just knocked me over. It sent me to a really dark place.” 

Ms. Hendrix was told that her living conditions made it too risky to begin treatment, so the hospital reached out to St Pat’s on her behalf. 

“It took some advocating from her case worker, but we were fortunate to secure them temporary accommodation followed by a longer-term property, relatively quickly,” Ms Cascioli said.  

The Hendrix’s now have a place to call home, but St Pat’s knows of at least 100 more children and their families who are sleeping in their cars, in tents or couch surfing with family or friends, in their region alone. 

“The homelessness crisis facing families here in Perth right now is deeply troubling to us at The Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, which is why we are so pleased to be the founding funding partner for this vital new Program,” Elizabeth Perron AM, Executive Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors, said. 

“St Pat’s Family Support Program is actively changing the lives of families such as Rebecca’s – we know the need is so much greater than this one Program alone, but it is a positive start.” 

“It’s all I could ask for, a home for my boys so we can have a proper Christmas,” Ms Hendrix said.