Seven years ago, Jade was in the process of escaping 10 long years of domestic violence, when she first knocked on our doors at Lutheran Care in the Barossa Valley.

We were able to assist Jade and her two children in a number of ways, from helping them to secure housing, to connecting them with a specialised domestic violence support worker, to providing them with counselling and financial counselling. Jade is also grateful for the Emergency Relief groceries she accessed from time to time, and Christmas Hampers and toys, to keep the family afloat and give them joy and dignity at this very special but sometimes challenging time of year.

While trauma runs deep and the experiences they've been through will never leave them, we are so pleased that Jade and her children are now thriving. Jade is now studying social work at university following a desire to be on the other end of the support she has received and help someone else one day. She wants people experiencing domestic and family violence to know support is available and that there is hope for a life beyond what you're going through.

To donate to Lutheran Care's 2021 Christmas Appeal, to help us help other families like Jade's, please visit www.lutherancare.org.au/donate

To watch Jade tell her story in her own words, check out the video here: https://youtu.be/lTP7hrRNhPg

Thank you to Cabana Productions (https://cabanaproductions.com.au/), who donated their time and expertise to film and edit the video for us. And to Jade for sharing her inspiring story.