Alison Sime loves to read.
She’s demolished everything Stephen King has ever written. She loves to draw, cook, and muck around with mates. She’s a fierce mother and believer in love. She’s honest, warm and eloquent.
She has also been homeless since she was 11. Or as she likes to call it; houseless.
In her 39 years, Alison has lived what feels like 39 lives. She’s been kicked down more times than she can count. And she is just one of more than 100,000 Australians living on our streets.
Rochelle started Share the Dignity, which gives free sanitary items to homeless women. Post continues after video.
As a little girl Alison would spend her nights in various Sydney clothing bins.
They’re warm, comfortable and more importantly safe. She’d eat food from the fruit and veggie bins behind Coles. Or she’d steal it from the shop itself, if she had to.
And yet she’d still turn up to school every day, and did so right until Year Nine.
Top Comments
This country failed her. Why wasn't she taken by DOCS at 11 and put into foster care or a group house? At least she would have had a roof over her head. No child should be living in clothing bins at 11!
Homelessness is so complicated- this story shows the way it becomes entrenched and how dysfunctional people need more then a roof but remapping their life.
My friend and her partner and children have been homeless since October last year such is the rental crisis in Hobart.
They do have some good support from the Salvation Army- not only putting a temporary roof over their head but also helping the sort out the mess that is their poor choices financially, the setting up payment plans for fines etc so she could get her drivers licence back, counselling for alcoholism etc.
They both have substance abuse issues, depression and anxiety and without these being treated they are not fit for employment. Without a job you can’t afford to live in Hobart in a private rental. Simple as that.
I have high hopes the intensive support will help them out of poverty.