With recent polls indicating many Australians remain unimpressed with last week’s Federal Budget announcement, a leading children’s charity has claimed it does not go far enough in supporting families who are struggling to meet their children’s’ basic education needs.

A Start in Life, a national charity that ensures underprivileged Aussie kids receive the financial and emotional support needed for a well-rounded and fulfilling education, says that it is now receiving five times more requests for assistance from desperate families.

Susan Williams, CEO of A Start in Life comments: “With the drought, global financial crisis and recent natural disasters, A Start in Life is receiving more than five times the number of applications it normally experiences. These Australians’ financial crises have become extreme and we are faced with families everyday who have never experience impoverished conditions.”

According to the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), over 2.2 million Australians, including 500,000 children are now living in poverty.

“Many underprivileged children are going to school without breakfast or lunch and the essential basics for learning. They don’t have the correct uniforms and shoes, meaning they lose precious self-esteem and can’t participate in certain classes,” Mrs Williams added. “These students are unable to pursue their talents, either academic or creative and this places enormous pressure on them as they try to achieve their goals. This is the next generation of Australia. We need to ensure they are educated and have every opportunity to be all they can be.” she said,

Donna and Shane, two Aussie mums who sought assistance from A Start in Life, offer a glimpse into the reality of many families doing it tough.

Donna, from Nevertire

Donna and her family have been forced to endure the harsh realities of life on the land since moving from Sydney to Nevertire. Nine years ago they went into a drought and have only just come out of it – with a flood.

“The drought has been devastating; we have had to get bank loans to pay for everything. All those years it was the bank putting our dinner on the table.’” Donna tells A Start in Life.

Through the Rural Assistance Authority Donna found out about A Start in Life who offered financial assistance to enable her two daughter’s opportunities they never would have received.

Despite the hardship, Donna still feels lucky that they have been able to remain on the land and haven’t had to leave like many of the families around them.

Shane, from Sydney

Inner city life has also been tough for many families. Shane, a mother of 8 year old twin boys, one with cerebral palsy, was forced to leave her mother’s house in Bowral to get away from her violent ex-boyfriend, leaving her and her children homeless for 3 years.

During this time Shane still had to take her son with cerebral palsy to therapy appointments, sometimes not even having enough money for the bus fare.

A Start in Life have provided financial assistance to her 2 boys to enable them to have the right uniforms for school, money for their breakfast and lunch, school excursions and sports uniforms. Without A Start in Life her sons wouldn’t even have had the stability of school and a decent education.

Shane has recently found permanent residency and completed her Diploma of Beauty Therapy at the Australasian College, qualifying as a beauty therapist.

During National Families Week (15th – 21st May) A Start in Life hopes to encourage families, community organisations, schools, councils, companies and individuals to bring charity back home and Adopt an Aussie. Any donation is welcome and donations of as little as $10 a week will help parents, like Donna and Shane, with the cost of their kid’s education essentials.
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For more information go to www.astartinlife.org.au or Adopt an Aussie by calling 1300 133TBA