Centacare Mercy House: Giving women over 50 a safe place to start again

“I never thought I’d be homeless at 62. I just couldn’t keep up with the rent. I’ve never felt so alone… I had nowhere safe to go.”

These are the kinds of stories Centacare hears far too often. And they are becoming more common.

Women over the age of 50 are now the fastest growing group at risk of homelessness in Australia. Many aren’t rough sleepers. Instead, they move quietly between temporary arrangements, staying with friends or family, house-sitting, even living in their car, often without recognising that they are, in fact, homeless.

Melinda is one of them. At 57, recently divorced, and struggling with chronic health issues, she was living alone in a motel in the Darling Downs when Centacare first met her. With no savings and no family support, she was vulnerable and deeply isolated. She had been evicted from shared accommodation under false accusations and was left feeling shattered, both emotionally and financially.

And she is not alone.

Another woman, Nicole, aged 63, came to Centacare after fleeing domestic violence in a remote area. She arrived in Brisbane with nothing but determination, no job, no home, no digital skills, and no family support. But with a strong desire to begin again.

It was women like Melinda and Nicole who inspired the opening of Centacare Mercy House, a new sanctuary for women in crisis, located in Beaudesert. Officially opened in March this year, the house offers safe, short-term accommodation. Sometimes for a few days, sometimes a few months, giving these women time to heal, rest, and rebuild.

Each woman who arrives is welcomed with the basics: food, toiletries, bedding, a warm room, and a listening ear. But they need more than essentials. They need support. Centacare provides case management, counselling, life-skills mentoring, assistance with rental applications, and support in finding stable, long-term housing.

This ministry of mercy continues the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy, who gifted the house to Centacare after more than 120 years of service to the Beaudesert community. At the handover ceremony, Sister Peta Goldburg rsm said, “The ministry begun by Catherine McAuley in the 1800s of serving the poor and the needy continues in Beaudesert today. An expression of mercy in a new way, and in a different time.”

None of this work is government funded. It exists only because of the generosity of donors who believe that every woman deserves safety, dignity, and a future.

A gift to Centacare today could provide:

• A welcome hamper for a woman in crisis

• A suit for a job interview

• A mobile phone to reconnect with family

• Counselling and mentoring support

• Assistance with housing applications or relocation

As Joanne Roy, General Manager of Aged and Housing at Centacare, shared: “Like you, we believe every woman deserves a safe place to live, and someone to believe in her while she rebuilds her future.”

You can be part of that belief. To make a tax-deductible donation and help more women find a safe place to begin again, visit catholicfoundation.org.au/centacare

*We protect the privacy of our clients by changing their names.