Evie's Story

Facing numerous challenges including food insecurity and a recent diagnosis of autism, 23-year-old Evie was struggling to survive. Reliant on a Centrelink pension and NDIS support, Evie often had to make agonising choices between essential needs like food and medication.

"There were times where I'd have to go two, three days without food to be able to pay for my medication. If I didn't have access to those medications because I had to feed myself, I would have been in a very dangerous state of mind and a very dangerous situation, and I could have been out on the street".

While volunteering with SecondBite partner organisation ADRA on their outreach bus as a means of combatting social anxiety, one of Evie's fellow volunteers noticed that she was struggling and offered her help.

Evie says, “People need to be able to know that there is someone to go to ask for help. I think that’s just what I would say to everybody, it's okay to ask for help”.

The access to free fruit and vegetables provided by SecondBite has changed Evie's life. 

Now able to allocate her savings toward essentials like medication and her phone bill, ensuring she can stay in contact with her family and healthcare providers, Evie continues to volunteer with ADRA, giving back to others in a similar situation.

“I have the support now to be able to maintain my life and to be able to function, and volunteer work has helped with that. And I’m getting the work experience I need to be able to hopefully work full time eventually. I go back to school in August so I’m excited.”