“Families are turning off heaters to survive”: Why the ASRC’s Winter Appeal matters more than ever.

At the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, we’re seeing a social crisis unfolding in real time.
Over the past month, we surveyed families seeking asylum. The results were devastating:

• 69% are turning off heating because they can’t afford it
• 31% have significantly reduced visits to a doctor when sick

Families are telling us they are stressed, desperate, and afraid of becoming homeless.
As the cost of living continues to rise, the people we support are being hit first and hardest. Many have no savings, no family support, and no access to the safety nets most Australians rely on.
Parents are skipping meals so their children can eat.
People are delaying medical care because they simply can’t afford it. Families are turning off heaters and trying to get through freezing nights without warmth.
We are deeply concerned about what this winter will mean for the people who rely on the ASRC’s support to survive.
And with the recent Federal Budget announcement, there is no relief in sight.
The Albanese Government has once again chosen to pour billions into Australia’s cruel offshore processing regime while turning its back on refugees and people seeking asylum.
More money for punishment. No money for compassion.
That’s why today we’re launching the ASRC Winter Appeal.
For 25 years, this community has stepped in where others have stepped away. Providing food, housing support, healthcare, legal aid and emergency relief to people seeking asylum when they have nowhere else to turn.

This winter, one of our most urgent priorities is simple: keeping families safe.
A thick blanket to stay warm.
A bag full of nutritious groceries.
A doctor’s appointment.
A safe place to sleep.
These aren’t luxuries. They’re essentials.
When people seeking asylum are shut out of government support, community is what keeps people alive.
And community is what gives people hope.
This winter, can you help provide that hope?
Every donation helps power the ASRC’s services and keeps refugee families safe through winter.