This Year, Sophie's Making the Gravy at Home

Leading into Christmas, we're reflecting on what it means to have a place to belong. For some, that's a safe home; for others, it's found in community or faith. That longing for connection is something Paul Kelly captures beautifully in his classic Australian song How to Make Gravy. In it, a man imagines his family gathered on Christmas without him. The roast in the oven. The sleepy children he cannot kiss. While his story is fictional, for people like Sophie, having nowhere to spend the holidays is a very real fear.

Last year, Sophie, a single mum with three children who have additional needs, lay awake worrying about where they would live. Her rent had gone up, medical bills were piling, and she had fallen behind on payments. As Christmas approached, she feared losing their house.

Thankfully, Sophie was brave and reached out to Anglicare. Sophie was connected with an Anglicare case manager, Taylah, who helped pay the overdue rent and connect her to Anglicare's Community Pantry for affordable groceries.

This year, not only will Sophie be home for Christmas, she will be hosting a family lunch with food on the table, maybe even making the gravy.

"I'm actually excited this year. I haven't been excited for a while," Sophie said.

Because of your support, families like Sophie's can come home to safety, hope, and belonging this Christmas. If you want to help families at risk this year, would you give a gift to our Christmas Appeal?