TEN years ago Melina Skidmore was little more than a statistic, trapped in a life punctuated by domestic violence, isolation, homelessness and fear.
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The inspiring Wagga mother first entered foster care when she was just 13.
Over the next five and a half years she would move in and out of an incomprehensible 144 foster homes.
At 17 and half years of age, Melina spent the first of many nights seeking comfort, safety and shelter in a refuge.
The challenges she faced as a teenager and young woman filled Melina with a desire to help other young people improve their circumstances and break the circle of disadvantage and suffering.
“When I was 14 I made the decision that once I could, I would do whatever I could to help other kids who are going through the same things as I was,” she said.
In December 2010, at age 30, Melina finally saw her long-time goal fulfilled when she successfully founded Wagga charity Angels for the Forgotten to support children, teenagers and families in crisis.
Through three programs, Crisis Care Packages, WINGS and Boost for Youth, Angels for the Forgotten are seeking to ease the burden and hardship placed on men, women and children escaping domestic violence, children entering care or a teenager transiting from care into independent living.
Crisis Care Packages are designed to cater to the needs of children – who have often suffered abuse, ill health, neglect or family tragedy – who are in crisis or have been removed and placed into out-of-home care.
The gender and age appropriate packages target three key areas, self help or self soothing, personal hygiene and self esteem and emotional well-being and a sense of ownership.
“When a mother or father is forced to flee with their children, often all they have is the clothes on their back, but they can’t access a crisis payment for between 24 and 48 hours,” Melina said.
“These packages contain those emergency items that a child needs to get through what is a very scary and traumatic time.
“Kids in foster care can be removed at any time, day and night, and often carers, many of whom are located outside of Wagga in smaller towns, have very little notice before a child arrives.
“The packages we distribute ensure the children have everything they need for that first night so the carer and social work can completely focus on the child and not have to worry they can’t get up to the shop to get a new toothbrush.”
The WINGS program plays a vital role in the organisation’s child abuse prevention efforts.
“This program, like the name suggests, is about giving parents who have been affected by crisis or disaster or victims of domestic violence, a chance to rise above and establish themselves in a safe environment for their children,” she said.
The organisation’s newest program, Boost for Youth, aims to fight growing youth homelessness in the region.
Angels for the Forgotten piloted the program last year and assisted 300 young people.
Since the program began running full-time in May, 184 young people in Wagga and Griffith and 7 teenagers in Albury have been supported by the program.
“People don’t think it exists but they would be disturbed to discover it is actually quite high,” she said.
“These are vulnerable kids who might have been in care and are moving into their first independent living, or they could have already experienced an extensive time homeless.
“The problem is these kids find it so hard to manage on low incomes and the small amount of government assistance they receive.
“Often they fail with their tenacities because they get to the point where they would rather eat every night and live under a bridge than pay rent and go without food.
“When a young person moves into their first independent living they get $1200 from the government which is meant to cover the bond, fridge, washing machine and everything else you need for a house.
“We all know that doesn’t go anywhere near that far.”
To assist these young people, Angels for the Forgotten provide a $700 package containing things like linen, kitchen ware and power boards to help them set up their new home and a $200 pantry starting pack.
“We also provide manuals on things like cooking and budgeting,” she said.
The organisation is always seeking support from the community through donations of goods for packages or new volunteers.
For more information about Angels for the Forgotten visit http://www.angelsfortheforgotten.org.