On August 24, Evie was baptised at Crossroads2421 Seventh-day Adventist Church (Officer, Vic), surrounded by her church and ADRA family.
But two years ago, Evie’s life looked very different. At 22-years-old, Evie had been recently diagnosed with autism and was struggling with her mental health.
“I’m a Centrelink pension receiver,” Evie says. “I’m also with the National Disability Insurance Scheme, due to having a disability. So I’m autistic. I’m recently diagnosed.”
This is when Evie decided to reach out for help. She began attending ADRA’s Thursday night outreach program in Pakenham. The program operates out of a bus that has been retrofitted to offer a multitude of services, including food relief and mental health support. It was during this time that one of the ADRA volunteers noticed that Evie was struggling to make ends meets and suggested she access ADRA’s food services.
“I started receiving help with my groceries, because it got too expensive,” Evie says. “There were times where I’d have to go two, three days without food to be able to pay for my medication. If I didn’t have access to those medications because I had to feed myself, I would have been in a very dangerous state of mind and a very dangerous situation, and I could have been out on the street.”
Evie had such a positive experience with ADRA that she decided to become a volunteer.
“Evie had $30 in her bank account and an urgent medical bill,” says Rebecca Auriant, director for ADRA Victoria. “Through ADRA and the church we were able to support her with her bills, referrals and social supports. She has been volunteering for ADRA since September 2022 and started going back to a church from a different faith last year.”
Evie is able to relate to the clients who attend ADRA’s program in Pakenham in a special way because she knows what challenges they are facing. Now, she wants to share her story so that others know that there is support and hope for a brighter future.
“To be on the other side of it, to be less fortunate, is not easy,” Evie says. “I think what everybody needs to know is that it’s okay to ask for help. The support is necessary, not only for those who are homeless, but for people struggling to feed their children and even themselves.”
The ADRA program has helped meet Evie’s social and physical needs. But Evie was also seeking spiritual fulfilment. And so, Ms Auriant introduced her to a local Seventh-day Adventist church. It wasn’t long until Evie was attending regularly.
“The other team members and I have seen Evie grow through attending the ADRA program each week,” says Ms Auriant. “Everyone needs someone in their corner, someone who actually cares about your day, someone who makes you feel like you belong and wants to make you smile again. We are better off because Evie stepped onto the bus that cold evening two years ago and now we all smile because she has found her heavenly Father.”
Ashley Stanton is the media and communications senior officer at ADRA Australia.
