Single mothers in Australia are a highly diverse group with one key interest, which is their children’s well-being. A single parent heads more than 1 million families in Australia; in most cases, this parent is a female.
In Australia, women are insecure with low-quality and paid work. Analysis of poverty in Australia reports households with children with a female main income earner were more than twice as likely to live in poverty.
Australia’s economic growth for almost 30 years has improved the living standards for the average household. Yet over 3.3 million people, including 774,000 children, have been left behind and live in persistent poverty.
Single-mother households are vulnerable to financial distress due to low income or illness. This affects the health needs of children, home-schooling as they cannot provide basic needs for their children, including enough food, basic school supplies, and even a safe home.
The good news is that with some vital support from charitable organizations in their times of greatest need, can assist these single women in living a quality life and providing for their homes.
In this article, we will take you through charities that help single mothers Australia.
Shall we?
Charities that Help Single Mothers Australia
- Council of Single Mothers and Their Children (CSMC)
- National Council of Single Mothers and Their Children ( NCSMC)
- Tough love
- Lifeline
- National Debt Helpline
- The Salvation Army Australia
- Mission Australia
- Foodbank
- The Smith Family
- Anglicare Australia
- Olivia’s Place
- St Vincent de Paul Society (Vinnies)
- Friends with Dignity
- Beyond Blue
1. Council of Single Mothers and Their Children (CSMC)
CSMC is a nonprofit organization for single mothers founded in 1969 to secure a better life for single mothers and their children affected by poverty, hardship, and domestic violence at every stage: at home with children, seeking paid employment, and working to secure financial independence.
CSMC works with employers and organizations to cultivate employment opportunities that suit single mothers, support access to further education and training, and facilitate solutions to the lack of housing and discrimination in the housing market.
However, CSMC is dedicated to ensuring that the children of single mothers
have every opportunity to reach their potential.
Council of Single Mothers and their Children Support Line:
- 03 9654 0622, 1300 552 511
- email:csmc @ csmc.org.au
2. National Council of Single Mothers and Their Children ( NCSMC)
NCSMC is an organization dedicated to single mothers and a platform whereby the community and the government can communicate, providing information, referrals, and assistance to single mothers.
The NCSMC was established in 1973 and evolved from the Victorian-based Council for the Single Mother and her Child, formed in 1970 to advocate for single mothers and their children.
Embracing the concept of self-help, it campaigned successfully to introduce a Supporting Mothers’ Benefit. It supported single mothers who kept their children to meet their basic needs and rights or provided opportunities to participate in Society.
Eligibility involves Single mothers. Contact:1800 758 150 or ncsmc@ncsmc.org.au
3. Toughlove
Toughlove is a nonprofit women’s support service and educational organization established in the early 1990s, offering self-help materials to single mothers and kids in trouble. They are a network of parents helping kids bring change into young people’s lives.
They have assisted thousands of parents across the country to get their lives and kids back on track, which will help them survive their crisis and build a better future for their families.
- Contacts:Phone: 0404 955 694
- Email: info@sa.toughlove.org.au
4. Lifeline
Lifeline is a nonprofit organization in Australia offering mental health support, preventing suicides, and emotional assistance.
It is a national charity providing all Australians, including single mothers experiencing a personal emotional crisis, access to 24-hour support.
Lifeline was established in 1963 by the late Reverend Dr. Sir Alan Walker. They aim so that no person in Australia has to face their darkest moments alone.
Single mothers having difficulty coping or staying safe and wanting to discuss their needs, worries, or concerns can have confidential one-to-one support with a trained Lifeline telephone crisis supporter who listens without judgment.
The commitment of 1,000 staff and 10,000 volunteers for over 60 locations worldwide has made the services Lifeline possible.
- Contact Lifeline’s phone 13 11 14 service.
5. National Debt Helpline
As a single mother, dealing with debt can be very stressful. Some charitable organizations in Australia protect and assist you if you are in financial hardship, as they prioritize Australians’ financial difficulty.
Call the National Debt Helpline first when you’re in financial trouble, as they can help solve your debt problems.
A professional financial counselor offers a free, independent, and confidential service.
Have the following when communicating with the financial counselor:
The details of your income, a list of all debts, copies of all loan agreements, details of current and outstanding bills, copies of any court documents, and letters about bills and debts that seem urgent.
For a more complex matter, the financial counseling service who are non-judgmental, qualified professionals will schedule a physical counsel.
They help you find support and services to help you with money, food, housing, mental health, and other essentials.
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- Contact: National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007
6. The Salvation Army Australia
The Salvation Army Australia is an international Christian movement founded in the late 19th century to bring hope to people of all ages, cultures, genders, and languages who may be experiencing hardship or injustice across Australia. They are Australia’s largest provider of homelessness services.
Their charitable work expresses their faith, providing spiritual and social support. They believe by showcasing their commitment to the safety and well-being of people. They can reach out to the world.
Financial problems can affect single mothers, starting with debt building up, paying rent, or buying food for the children. This feels overwhelming and makes single mothers embarrassed and isolated. You can contact the salvors.
These services are free and voluntary with a philosophy that everyone deserves respect and a good quality of life and that no one should be without a safe, affordable, and secure home.
Other services rendered include employment, age care, disaster and emergencies.
- Contact Salvors on 13 SALVOS (13 72 58)
7. Mission Australia
Mission Australia is a national Christian charity established in 1859, motivated to share the vision of Australia to end homelessness.
Mission Australia believes their circumstances shouldn’t define a person’s future, and everyone can reach their full potential, given the right support.
More than 122,000 people in Australia experience homelessness. They deliver homelessness crisis by providing social and affordable housing, assisting struggling families and children, addressing mental health issues, supporting people with disabilities, providing employment, skills, and training, and much more.
Mission Australia can stand alongside people in need with the generosity of government departments, corporate partners, trusts, and foundations.
- Contact on 1800 269 672
- Email:housingenquiries@missionaustralia.com.au
8. Foodbank
Foodbank is a large nonprofit and denominational federated organization for food relief operating across Australia.
It is included among the certified members of the global food network and comprised of 32 countries, out of which 19 are accredited.
Food insecurity is a big problem in a nation and should require a big response. Good quality food should be provided to everyone.
Foodbank provides food and grocery relief to more than one million Australians, including single mothers, who are experiencing food insecurity every month.
Over 2 million households in Australia are out of food, according to the 2022 Report on Foodbank Hunger, as they are struggling to put food on the table.
Australian food and grocery sector, which includes farmers, manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers, works with Foodbank as they donate products to provide over 225,000 meals daily to people in need, relieving more than a million people each month.
Food and grocery relief recipients report feeling less hungry, can focus and concentrate, are less stressed, and are more hopeful.
Food banks not only play a lead role in fighting hunger but also play an important role in tackling Australia’s $36.6 billion food waste problem and helping the environment.
- Contact:admin@foodbank.org.au
9. The Smith Family
Increased crime, poorer health outcomes, unemployment, and lower productivity are a result of a lack of education.
Supporting a child’s education is one of the best ways to help them create better futures for themselves. This charties support by giving children and young people the resources they need to achieve their full potential as more than half live in a single-parent family.
The Smith Family believes that every child deserves an opportunity to have a good quality education. But, due to poverty and disadvantage, some children do not get that chance.
Smith Family thereby focuses on helping young Australians to overcome this educational inequality and help them unlock better futures for themselves.
In 2022, more than 159,753 disadvantaged children and young people received support through Smith Family programs, as 95% of children in the reading program improved their reading age.
Consequently, they face significant barriers to achieving at school and beyond.
- Contact:1300 326 459
- tsfmktg@thesmithfamily.com.au
10. Anglicare Australia
Anglicare Australia is a charitable network organization connected to the Anglican Church in every community in Australia.
Anglicare Australia aims to meet all people’s needs through building partnerships, creating member networks, and enabling collaboration with over 40 individual member agencies from around Australia to innovate, provide quality care, tackle poverty, and relieve human suffering.
In partnership with parishes and others, they provide services that promote safety, participation, and well-being for people in their homes and communities.
- Contact: 02 6230 1775
11. Olivia’s Place
Olivia’s Place was co-founded in 2012 by Kirsten Finger and Melissa Raymond. It is currently a registered charity with the Australian Charities.
The organization is committed to supporting mothers through pregnancy and early parenting by providing practical, material, and emotional support through community engagement and resources, education, and professional services.
The foundational period that shapes a child’s development and well-being is the first 1000 days of a child’s life, throughout pregnancy and until age two, which is very important.
Olivia’s Place is also committed to child safety, as children should be safe, happy, and empowered.
New mothers are supported in breastfeeding, family violence, food Relief, Anxiety, depression, suicide, and perinatal mental health support.
Due to financial hardship, some materials necessary to give a child a strong and safe development may take a lot of work to source. These materials are provided. Some include Cots, Prams and strollers, Car baby capsules, Maternity wear, Baby clothes, Nappies, wipes and nappy bags, and Bottles.
- Contact:(03) 5622 1022 admin@oliviasplace.org.au
12. St Vincent de Paul Society (Vinnies)
The St Vincent de Paul Society, also called Vinnies, is an international organization formed by Catholics in 1854 comprising more than 45,000 members and volunteers across the country who assist people in need and combat social injustice across Australia.
The Society operates in 153 other countries and has over 800,000 members.
Their slogan is “The strongest hand of true friendship is charity; the exercise of charity is the practice of good works.”
However, single mothers seeking assistance from low-income support and poverty, housing and homelessness, or domestic violence are supported without judgment or prejudice. They do not discriminate against cultural, religious, political, gender, or gender identity beliefs.
- Contact on 13 18 12.
13. Friends with Dignity
A collaborative national Nonprofit organization founded by Manuela Whitford to improve the quality of life of any mother or child affected by domestic violence by providing finance, resources, programs, and scholarships to enhance the safety of the individuals.
Domestic Violence on Individuals and the Community is eased regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or sexuality.
However, provide bi-annual monetary scholarships to children, supply items designed to provide comfort and educational support, and furnish homes enabling those who have faced domestic
and family violence throughout Australia to move forward with purpose, dignity, and hope.
- Contact:info@friendswithdignity.org.au
- 1300 512 393
14. Beyond Blue
The mental health of a single mother is very important. For over 20 years, people in Australia have trusted Beyond Blue as a reliable source of mental health information, support, and hope.
Beyond Blue is a Health Promotion Charity organization with over 150 staff in Australia founded to reduce depression, anxiety, and related disorders in the Australian community.
They have a deep responsibility to listen and to understand people’s needs and aspirations.
Single mothers are encouraged to seek support when they need it.
- Contact: (03) 9810 6100
FAQs
1. Importance of Charity Organization
Charity organizations make a vital contribution to the economic and social needs of a nation by assisting people in times of need, especially those who are the victims of disaster, war, hunger, disease, poverty, and orphans by supplying them with food, shelter, medical aid, and other fundamental needs.
2. Who is a Single Mom
A single mom is one whose family is outside the traditional family setting. She could be a divorced, never-married, adoptive or foster, or widowed mom.
Conclusion
The dignity of every Australian, regardless of gender, background, belief, and circumstances, means their right should be honored, and their life potential must be reached.
Since it takes two people to build a home, having one person do it will take a lot of work. However, the greatest gift to a single mother would be contributing to making their lives better when donations or charity support groups touch their lives.
Australia has many brilliant charities that single mothers can contact during their struggle, ranging from Mission Australia, CSMC, NCSMC, Foodbank, the Salvation Army, and many others.
These organizations assist them with housing, food, clothing, employment, health support, training, education, and lots more so they to leave the best life everyone requires regardless of their circumstances. What are your thoughts about these Charities that Help Single Mothers Australia?
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