For some Tasmanian children, this winter means doing homework in the back of a car and waking up unsure where they’ll sleep the next night.
That is the reality Hobart City Mission is trying to expose with its 2026 Winter Appeal, launched on Monday for the first day of winter.
The charity says family homelessness is hitting children hardest and much of it is hidden from view.
Right now, more than 37 families, including 58 children, are on the waitlist for just one of its programs.
Many of those children arrive having already experienced trauma, housing instability and periods sleeping in cars before finding somewhere safe.
New chief executive Adrienne Picone said the toll on children is what worries her most.
“No child should be trying to complete homework in the back of a car or waking up cold and uncertain about where they’ll sleep the following night,” Picone said.
“Behind every number is a child trying to get ready for school without a stable home, a warm shower or even certainty about where they’ll sleep that night.”
The appeal focuses on DIY Dads, which the charity says is the only residential program in Australia keeping homeless fathers and their children together.
It is 100% donor funded with no government support.
The program shared the story of ‘John’, a father who became homeless with his children after losing his sight to glaucoma. He called it “a living nightmare”.
For his kids, the impact of finally having a home was immediate. John said moving in felt “like Christmas”.
Family Services Manager Hanna Richardson said keeping fathers and children together matters for a child’s wellbeing.
“We know how important the role model of a father is in a child’s life,” Richardson said.
Picone said she hoped the campaign would help people see what local children are living through this winter.
“For most people, a car is how you get to work or school,” she said.
“For some Tasmanian families this winter, it becomes their bedroom.”
