| At Better Together Housing, our work is built on collaboration—with our community and with like-minded organisations who share our passion for supporting women over 50 facing insecure housing. We’re so pleased to share Karenne’s story, which highlights the power of community and the combined efforts of PCH, Waves of Kindness, You Turn, St Vincent de Paul, and Better Together Housing. Together, we are able to make a real and lasting difference in people’s lives. Today, we’re delighted to see Karenne in a safe and positive place with her beloved Misty—and we hope her story inspires you too. A Life Changing Event Hi, my name is Karenne. I am 66 and I have an 9yo Ragdoll cat Misty. I became a member with Better Together Housing in early 2024. Everything changed for me mid-2023, when my landlord unexpectedly put my rent up by $65 a week. I had no choice but to move. Up until then, I was happy, just Misty and me, living a somewhat isolated post Covid life. Misty is my little soulmate and emotional support animal. Over the next two years I had six moves and three months of living in emergency accommodation, and months of being separated from my beautiful Misty. I felt so lost without her. My life has changed dramatically in the past two years with six moves and three months of living in emergency accommodation, and being separated from my beautiful Misty. Misty is my little soulmate and emotional support animal and I felt lost without her. I felt like the rug had been ripped out from under me when I first had to move. But a friend let me move in with her. That went well for the first couple months but her dog and my Misty did not get along causing friction between us all. Living with others The saying, you don’t really know someone till you live with them is quite true. I had never lived with anyone before and liked my own space and company, so it was hard adjusting to sharing with someone, especially a friend. After about three months Misty and I were pretty much living in our bedroom only coming out when my friend was out. It was causing me a great deal of stress and mental anguish, so in the best interests of everyone I made the decision to leave. As heart-breaking as it was for me and Misty, she had to go into foster care for three months. I had not expected life to throw me curve balls and put obstacles in my way, but it is through how I have chosen to handle these curve balls and obstacles, that characterise how I have come out the other side. Volunteering and building community During this time, I had become a volunteer with Waves of Kindness and we’d have a women’s get together every week. This was a blessing in disguise and helped me through a lot, namely, coming out of my shell and learning to be more social. I became involved with a senior group who played Rummikub every week in Pomona and found I was slowly starting to come out of my shell and making new friends. Plus, I have become addicted to playing Rummikub. This interaction led me to Pomona Community House (PCH). Everyone there were so welcoming, friendly and caring. I started to see their Social Support Worker. It was very hard for me to reach out because I was so independent and had survived for so long just being on my own, never needing help from anyone. But after a few sessions with the Social Worker, I cracked and broke. I was so lost and missed my beautiful little Misty. It was then that I opened up and asked for help. I felt so open, so vulnerable but at the same time I felt so full of gratitude. I also felt loved and blessed. Miracles do happen and I have personally been blessed with a few miracles happening, in the past twelve months. Joining Better Together With the help of PCH I became a member with Better Together Housing and became involved in meetings and meeting other women in similar situations to me. I became a volunteer at PCH, and have become a valued and much appreciated member of the team and the community. It has become like home and my family, where I finally feel I fit in and belong for the first time in my life. PCH provides social connection activities and groups, like Rummikub, referrals to services for the community, anyone needing help and people experiencing homelessness. There are showers, a pantry, a warm, welcome place to feel safe, and sit and have a coffee and someone to listen. I feel so blessed and grateful to be a part of the team at PCH and to be able to give back to the community and to those who need help. Share housing with cats and dogs In May I found a new place to move in with a lovely lady where I could have Misty too, but that only lasted three months as she had a dog and Misty and the dog didn’t get along. Familiar story. Found another share place where I could have Misty and fitted in for six months but then the landlady asked me to leave because I didn’t mix in with her. I kept to myself and stayed in my room most of the time. Running out of options Once again, I had to leave Misty, with friends for three more months, and stay with another friend temporarily. When I had to leave there, I was out of options, with no-where to go. It was then with the help of You Turn, one of PCH services, I was put into emergency accommodation and was there for more than three months. This time I lived amongst many people experiencing homelessness, had meals at the soup kitchen with families and children, living in tents and cars. It was heart breaking, but I gained insight into what it is like living rough with no housing options. I realised that this challenge was for me to learn from so I could understand and use what I learned with the work I do at PCH and helping with the people experiencing homelessness in our community. Finding my own Unit – Life Changing! Better Together Housing, Coast2Bay and You Turn, were instrumental in helping find me my own unit for Misty and myself. I will forever be grateful to everyone for all the love, help and support you all gave me. Thankyou. I have had so much love and support from PCH, Waves of Kindness, Better Together Housing and Coast2Bay Housing, You Turn and St Vincent de Pauls. I don’t know how to thank you all enough. You are not alone My message to each and everyone of you beautiful women, is that you are loved and that we all have the strength, courage and resilience within us to deal with any challenge we are faced with. And we are never alone, we have each other, we just have to reach out. Love and blessings of peace and happiness Karenne |
