With winter on our doorstep, Lutheran Care has launched its 2025 Winter Appeal. 

Lutheran Care stands beside South Australian families and individuals every day of the year, but the cold of winter brings extra challenges. As temperatures drop, heating bills rise, and those sleeping rough face even greater hardship and discomfort. 

This year for our appeal, we’re sharing a letter written by one of our clients, Lynne*, who wanted to tell her story as a way to thank our supporters for the assistance she and her family received. 

“When our son hit rock bottom, we put up our hands to have the grandies as they had nowhere else to go. We had 48 hours’ notice, and no food in the house. They say all you need is love but love isn’t going to fill the tummies of growing kids who have just been uprooted from everything they know. We had no choice but to go to Lutheran Care. And thank God we did.” 

You can read Lynne’s letter and find out more about our Winter Appeal, here. 

Right now, we cannot keep up with demand for our Emergency Relief program, which provides people experiencing crisis and hardship with essentials such as food, clothing, hygiene items, bedding and vouchers, as well as linking them with other supports like financial counselling and mental health support to give them the tools and confidence they need to make positive changes in their own lives in the longer term. 

We cannot cope with the need, which continues to rise. We are forced to turn away around 15 people every day – giving them an emergency overnight bag with enough supplies for dinner and breakfast for two people – and an invitation to return the following day to seek an appointment. 

Lutheran Care is proud to be a South Australian organisation, and one of few homegrown charities that focuses on giving a hand up to local families and individuals. 

If you want to make a positive impact and help a family in need, please make a donation to our 2025 Winter Appeal. Your gift can make a real difference. 

According to Lynne, “I really hope that the people reading my story will donate to the Winter Appeal, if they can. With Lutheran Care’s help, we are making sure our grandkids can get the best start in life. They are smart kids, they can be anything. Thank you for your help.” 

To support the Winter Appeal, please click here. All donations $2 and over are tax deductible. 

  *Name changed to protect privacy.