From Homelessness To Paying It Forward

A marriage breakdown in 2009 saw Marilynn Bradd find herself in a situation she had never imagined - living on the streets.

“I had nothing,” Marilynn said.

“I was living in a rural area with no car and a disability.“

From March 2009 until August of 2010, Marilynn, who has Spinabifida, had nowhere safe to live, no job, no phone and only what she could find to eat.

Marilynn recalled one time when she was scrummaging through the trash at Riverview Shopping Centre looking for something to eat and a young woman tapped her on the shoulder and offered to buy her a coffee and something to eat.

“I was ever so grateful,” Marilynn said.

“It made my day, but because I hadn’t eaten in such a long time, I couldn’t even enjoy it.

“My stomach had shrunk.

“I was so frightened to sleep on the street.”

She went to Centrelink for help, but because her husband had kept all of her identification she was unable to get any payments.

Somehow Marilynn found enough money to call her brother who was living in Tasmania and asked for help.

He gave her $20,000 so that she could buy a car and furniture and get a rental at a Retirement village.

Marilynn’s story doesn’t end there.

After overcoming her own adversity, she was recently able to help a young mother of two in similar circumstances.

“I invited the mother and two children back to my place and fed them for six weeks,” Marilynn said.

“She eventually got a place of her own.

“They ring me at least once a month.”

• Topics:

• Living and Lifestyle
• Mental Health and Wellbeing