Hi there,

My name is Luke and my daughter is Skye.

Recently there were changes in our life that have seen a long time psychological and financial abuser finally taken out of our lives. In both my childhood and my daughter's, we've been kept poor and in debt. It's impossible to explain the depth of it here, but it started when I was a teenager, and continued when I had to return home with my daughter after a marriage breakup over 10 years ago.

Through this man and the constant abuse, we were kept confined and neglected, which ultimately resulted in my daughter falling pregnant and losing her child to foster care. This man painted us in a bad light to everyone so that he looked good, and he has always made sure to get money out of us, and constantly threatened us if he may not get his way or money. He forced me onto benefits to give him money when I was a kid.

I am trying to keep a very long story short here. There is a lot and I am mentally fatigued from no sleep for almost 2 weeks.

The main thing is now he is gone, and now I'm left having to get a fridge, kettle, some other household items, and keep up the rent. I am a disability pensioner and I just don't have any spare money after bills and repayments to help my daughter and I get started, and I'm not having much luck with charities so far regarding a fridge and others.

I need to order a birth certificate from the ACT which means postage, so I can apply for housing, in order to apply for a subsidy, and I have to try and keep the roof over our heads in the meantime which could be a matter of weeks, especially with COVID still impacting. We will have support letters from our respective doctors to help us try and get a subsidy so that we can stay in the home we've lived in for over 5 years. We have 4 companion cats as well, and we can't bear the thought of ever having to give them up. They fill the void we have in our lives. We miss Tyler, my grandson, and thanks to the man who abused us, we may never get him back. We only see him for 2 hours a fortnight. We are very depressed.

I've been left in the worst position I've experienced and I don't know what else I can do. I am in tears just asking for help and writing this.

Skye and I really need some help to get on our feet, be able to store the groceries charity gives us with a fridge, a kettle so coffee is possible, and cover some rent so that we are secure. We are still getting over the event that happened and it's difficult asking for help. We are in no emotional state to move home, and my daughter's school who are aware and support her is less than 1km away so we really need to try and stay here.

We appreciate any help anyone can give us. We both deserve a chance, Skye more than I, to succeed and live a free life without constant condemnation, ridicule, and threats. We just have to get on our feet. This amount should cover a month's rent, a fridge, and other bits and pieces we need.

Thank You Kindly,

Luke