A Maddington community hub that provides food, bill assistance and housing support has helped more than 6,200 people this financial year as cost-of-living pressures continue to hit local families.
Mission Australia’s Wattle House Community Hub has recorded 2,695 instances of support and distributed 2,095 food hampers between October and June, reaching 6,221 individuals and families across the community.
The figures come as Mission Australia prepares for its annual Sleep In Your Car fundraiser, which raises money to help keep emergency relief services running.
Mission Australia Regional Leader Elise Jorgensen said demand for support remained high despite changes to the service after federal funding ended last year.
“Demand has definitely increased,” Ms Jorgensen said.
After losing Department of Social Services funding in September 2025, Wattle House reduced its client opening hours from five days a week to three and changed assistance from weekly to fortnightly.
Despite those reductions, the service continues to support a similar number of clients each month.
Ms Jorgensen said people most commonly sought help with utility bills, food, car registrations and medications.
More than 300 requests for medication assistance were recorded, with support totalling almost $6,800.
People living on lower incomes and renting privately are among those finding it hardest to cope.
“We have seen an increase in elderly people relying on aged pensions presenting,” Ms Jorgensen said.
She said rising rents and cost-of-living pressures were pushing more people towards homelessness.
“We are currently supporting a couple where one partner has lost their job. This has forced them to live in their car as they couldn’t afford to rent on a single income,” she said.
“Elderly people reliant on the aged pension who have rented the same property for 20 plus years that is sold are facing huge challenges in finding affordable replacement housing.”
Among those helped by Wattle House was an older couple who had lived in the same rental property for many years before a rent increase left them unable to afford their home.
The couple moved their belongings into storage and began living in their car while searching for affordable housing.
Although Wattle House could not provide accommodation, the service helped them access food assistance, shower facilities, medical support through the onsite Street Doctor service, help with storage costs and prescription vouchers.
The couple also attended community programs at the hub.
According to Ms Jorgensen, they described Wattle House as their “lifeline”.
She said securing ongoing funding remained the biggest challenge facing the service.
“Wattle House has become an important place for people looking for food, bill assistance, fresh clothing, access to a shower, accommodation support and connection to other services,” she said.
To help raise funds and awareness, Mission Australia’s WAkey WAkey team will, again, take part in the Sleep In Your Car campaign this August.
Team members will spend a night sleeping in their vehicles to highlight the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity.
Last year’s fundraiser raised more than $14,000 locally and provided additional resources for Wattle House during a difficult period.
Ms Jorgensen said the team was taking part again because the need in the community continued to grow.
“The more awareness and money we can raise, the more vulnerable people we can help,” she said.
Funds raised this year will support the continuation of emergency relief services at Wattle House.
