'Face of homelessness' is changing as more families, workers and over 55s struggle to afford essentials

Volunteers are seeing an increase in the number of people accessing Vinnies services. (ABC Radio Sydney: Declan Bowring)

It’s been six months since Nicole Dickens’s partner died, but she hasn’t been able to begin grieving.

At the time her partner passed away, Ms Dickens was being treated in hospital for an ulcer on her leg that made it hard for her to stand up.

Then, when she left hospital, she was evicted from where she was living in social housing.

Ms Dickens said her partner told her he had put her on the lease, but when she was evicted she was told she was not on it and had to leave.

“When I got out [of hospital], I could still hardly walk. I could hardly stand up, to be honest,” Ms Dickens said.

“I have had numerous housing places trying to get me housing, and you get all the paperwork and things done.”

“And at the moment, I’m still waiting.”

Since then, Ms Dickens has been experiencing homelessness, sometimes couch surfing at neighbours’ houses.

“I don’t think people understand how bad the housing crisis is,” she said.

ABC Sydney contacted the Department of Communities and Justice but did not receive a reply before publishing.

To help get by, Ms Dickens accesses food, blankets, and other essentials at a Vinnies Van night patrol at the foot of the 30-storey public housing towers at Waterloo in Sydney’s inner south.

She is one of about 200 people assisted by the nightly service run by the St Vincent de Paul Society.

The changing face of homelessness

At a small kitchen in Petersham in inner Sydney, volunteers put together 300 sandwiches ahead of a Vinnies Van evening at Waterloo and Surry Hills.

Volunteers will be giving out the sandwiches, hot coffees, and a snack pack consisting of a noodle cup, a juice box, and a cheese-and-cracker pack that can be taken home.

Vinnies Van manager Josephine Charbel says the snack pack is important because this gives parents something for kids to take to school the next day.

“We’ve seen a huge increase in parents coming and asking for items to put in their kids’ lunch boxes,” Ms Charbel said.

“The conversation they are actually having to us is, ‘If we don’t get this food, we don’t actually end up sending our kids to school.'”

Ms Charbel has been with Vinnies for 17 years. She says over the past 12 months they have been seeing many people who have never accessed services before.

“We are seeing more families, we are seeing elderly people, women 55 and over. But we’re also seeing the working poor,” Ms Charbel said.

“It’s not just [an] increase, it’s actually the whole entire face of homelessness is changing.”

Volunteer Kay Ishak is also noticing more middle-class people falling between the cracks.

“I’ve seen corporate heads, people who have been CEOs and lead big companies, who overnight have taken a tumble due to mental health, divorces,” Ms Ishak said.

“This touches everybody.”

The Reserve Bank has increased interest rates 13 times since May 2022 while the price of food, rent, and fuel have also risen, squeezing household budgets across the country.

The ABC in NSW is partnering with the St Vincent de Paul Society for our NSW Gives Appeal to support Australians who have been hit hardest by the cost of living crisis.

What’s wanted more than food

Plumber Tony Sleiman often drives the Vinnies vans on the nightly patrols. He says the most important thing is being present and lending your ear to people they assist.

“It’s more about the conversation you have with them, giving them the time and listening to them,” Mr Sleiman said.

“I find that’s more what they want than the food.”

Ms Dickens echoes this sentiment and says she really appreciates their routine presence at the Waterloo estate.

“You can always sit down with somebody and have a yarn,” Ms Dickens said.

“They’re always here, they come every night, rain, hail or shine.”