We have recently received a grant application from Sarah, a 22 year old woman asking for £150.
Sarah has been homeless since the age of 16 when she left her mother’s house due to the physical abuse she was subjected to. For the past six years, she has been sofa-surfing, finding any way to stay warm and dry at night. Having been exposed to abuse from a young age, Sarah has often fallen into abusive relationships with men – it’s all that she knows.
Sarah secured a home after a relationship with the father of her four year old daughter broke-down. She got into arrears with her rent and with no help or knowledge on how to resolve this, was struck off the housing list and her daughter was placed into the care of her father.
With support, Sarah has been offered a place in a housing project, and the £150 she was awarded by Family Action will enable her to create a safe and stable home and reinstate contact with her daughter. She specifically wanted the funds to be able to buy items for her kitchen, including a microwave, fridge, kettle and toaster as well as a wardrobe. By having a permanent address, she’s able to start looking for employment, and for the first time, she is feeling confident and excited about her future.
£150 may not seem like a life-changing amount, but for Sarah it was all she needed to get her life back on track.
