A mother's fight for safety — Naomi's story

“Not knowing where we were going to sleep that night was rock bottom for me. That was really, really scary."

A mother’s love

Naomi* is a young mum with a fiercely protective instinct for her children. She always dreamed of giving her children the stability of a loving home, free from the kind of trauma she had experienced growing up.

“My childhood wasn’t easy. There was poverty. There was emotional and physical abuse….there was sexual assault.”

Naomi had a tough childhood living in poverty and hardship, and swore that if she ever became a mother, she would move heaven and earth to make sure her children never faced the same.

Nowhere to call home

Tragically, Naomi’s circumstances changed unexpectedly.

Her relationship with her children’s father — good at first — slowly but surely began to break down after they were born. And with that decline, her partner changed.

And then the day finally came when he became violent. And at that moment, nothing in the world was more important to Naomi than protecting her children. But escaping the danger meant Naomi and her children were faced with homelessness, no money and nowhere to go.

As she recalls, “When I got the courage to end the relationship, he kicked me and my children out in the driveway. I had two suitcases and garbage bags filled with our blankets and pillows.” 

The months that followed were filled with stress and uncertainty.

Naomi and her two young children — without a place to call home — moved between friends’ couches, trying to stay off the streets while Naomi desperately threw herself into a search for a rental home.

But she was shocked to discover just how bad the housing crisis had become. 

“It was horrendous! I can’t even tell you the amount of houses I applied for. There’s so much competition. I remember numerous times, going to a house inspection and you’ve got 10 to 15 people there. And being a single mum, you just go down to the bottom of the barrel.”

Every day was a challenge. 

Naomi took long bus rides to keep her kids in school, filled out endless rental applications that led nowhere, and constantly worried about where they would sleep next.

She never gave up trying to find them a home, but the search was soul-destroying. With no options left, Naomi reached out to The Salvation Army for help.

And when she did, everything changed.

Hope for the future

With the support of the Salvos, Naomi and her children found the safety and stability they had been searching for.

“The Salvos were incredible. They didn’t just give us a place to stay — they made sure we had everything we needed to get back on our feet. Food, clothes, school supplies for the kids, and most importantly, support to find a real home.”

A dedicated case worker helped Naomi secure stable housing, and with that, she could finally breathe again.

Now, Naomi and her children have a place where they can heal, grow, and look to the future with hope.

“I finally feel like we’re safe. We have a home, and my kids can just be kids again. I’m so grateful to the Salvos for helping us through the hardest time of our lives.”

Naomi is beyond grateful for the support The Salvation Army provided, giving her children the safety and stability they’ve been longing for. And helping her and her children break free from homelessness for good.

_{*To protect Naomi’s privacy, her name and some details of her story have been changed.}