The Mercy Foundation’s Grants to End Homelessness program supports evidence-based solutions and focuses on ending homelessness for women, women with children or individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.
We congratulate the recipients of the 2023 Grants to End Homelessness program:
A new housing model for women over 55 experiencing homelessness
Tiny Homes Foundation Zero: Cost Garden Flat Housing Initiative Women over 55 years are at risk of experiencing homelessness if they are living on a low income and relying on the private rental market. A grant was awarded to Tiny Homes Foundation to pilot an innovative housing model designed to meet the housing needs of this particular group of women. If successful, this project will create a replicable model with an opportunity for expansion on the Central Coast of NSW.
Breaking the cycle of poverty and homelessness for migrant women
Immigrant Women’s SpeakOut Association NSW: New Horizons project Employment is key to alleviating poverty and in turn homelessness, with additional benefits of improved self-worth and wellbeing. This pilot project will enable marginalised migrant women, who are survivors of abuse or trauma, to break the cycle of poverty and become financially independent. The project will help women develop new skills through study opportunities, prepare and assist them in finding employment, help build supportive networks and connect them to support services in their communities.
Assisting people with an intellectual disability to exit homelessness
Centre for Disability Studies: Developing an inclusive workforce Research shows that people with intellectual disability have difficulties exiting homelessness and that frontline staff in the homelessness and housing sectors could better respond to their needs. This project is aimed at strengthening the workforce capability of staff working in homelessness and housing sectors in supporting people with intellectual disability out of homelessness. Training and resources will be designed, developed and delivered with input from people with an intellectual disability. The program is based in NSW and will have transferability to other states.
Ultimately, the aim is to provide more effective and tailored supports that will help people with intellectual disability to exit homelessness and have the appropriate supports in place in their new home.
Transforming systems to better support young families experiencing homelessness
The Pregnancy and Homelessness Coalition: New Beginnings project New Beginnings seeks to transform the healthcare, social and housing support systems for pregnant women and their infants who are experiencing homelessness. Evidence shows that unstable housing and homelessness undermines women’s ability to access healthcare, particularly pregnancy care. This creates both immediate and long-lasting harm to women and their child’s health and wellbeing.
This project seeks to improve policy and practice to better support young pregnant women, and gender diverse birthing parents. Pregnancy offers a critical window of opportunity for early intervention to improve the outcomes for young women and their children, to lift them out of adversity and deprivation and ultimately given them the best possible start to family life.
Supporting young mums at risk of or experiencing homelessness
Property Industry Foundation: Haven Shepparton project Haven House Shepparton (The Nest) is a partnership between the Property Industry Foundation, Women’s Property Initiatives and The Bridge Youth Services. This project will build 3 x two-bedroom homes, where young mums at risk of or experiencing homelessness can live independently with their child or children. These homes will provide a haven for young mums who can live there for up to five years with the support of The Bridge Youth Services and each other.
This project will change the lives of young women and their children, not only through providing a stable home, it will also offer a supportive place for them to begin parenthood and the children to start their lives. This program with Bridge Youth Services program will provide residents with a rental history so they can move into the private rental market, when their circumstances allow them to do so.
