Emerge Stories

As we approach Mother’s Day, it is easy to get caught up in the fun and festivities that many families enjoy.  Here at Emerge, we are acutely aware that the mums and children we are supporting want to celebrate but are too emotional, tense and often without the means to buy gifts or a special lunch. Fortunately Emerge is supported by extraordinary people who give regularly and in different ways throughout the year. One such group is ...

Emerge supporters were invited to spread their wings as part of the tenth anniversary celebration of the organisation’s arts therapy programs. The butterfly art work was created by the Women’s Arts therapy group over the past few months, and took pride of place at our recent emerging heARTs event on 1 May.  The wings will be permanently displayed at the new Emerge refuge once it’s opened later this year. According to Bianca, Emerge Arts ...

Mother’s Day is a time for children to thank and take time out with their mums wherever they are, and the youngsters supported by Emerge are no different. This year, thanks to the generosity of Impact volunteers, 60 Bags of Love have been delivered to Emerge to give to the children to hand to their mums on Mother’s Day. The bags are filled with cook books, chocolates, aromatherapy oils, beauty bags and coffee mugs, everything that mums ...

An initiative to provide women and children with the initial money they need to secure a private rental property and make it their home has received over $49,000 from The Funding Network. The funds were raised during a ‘pitch’ night held by The Funding Network with Emerge receiving the much-needed funds to establish the Fresh Start Fund. Beth Wallis, who delivered the pitch, said she was thrilled with the result and how engaged the audience ...

Julie is cuddling a six-month-old baby girl. The baby is not hers but for the moment, she is caring for her as though she was. A qualified child care worker for over thirty years, Julie is working at Moorabbin Magistrates Court every Tuesday as part of Emerge’s new child minding service. She is supported by an Emerge volunteer. The service began earlier this year and word is beginning to spread about the program, and the support it can provide ...

Sam* is excited. For the fourth day in the row he has sat down for an evening meal with his mum and sister at a dining room table. For the six-year-old, this is a novelty. He used to sit in front of the television and eat alone. Sam and his mum and sister are benefiting from a Flexible Support Package that Emerge has been able to put together with funds from the Victorian Government. The package provides up to $10,000 to support survivors of ...

Jennifer Wu has seen the devastating effects family violence can have on families. She has seen the effect first hand on families she has known growing up. This experience has galvanised her into volunteering with Emerge as well as study law and commerce. She also works part-time with Telstra. “I hope to focus on family law so that in the future I will be able to do what I can to offer support women and children need,” Jennifer ...

Welcome to 2019, the Year of the Pig which is associated with opportunity and expansion. This certainly reflects what is happening at Emerge. This year is one of opportunity as we continue apace with the building of the new refuge, which will provide flexible accommodation for women and children escaping family violence. The refuge will enable us to support more women and children in crisis and through their journey to safety and ...

In May Emerge will celebrate the tenth anniversary of its arts therapy programs which have changed the lives of women and children. Emerge has one of the longest running arts therapy programs in Victoria, and its results have inspired many family violence services around the world to investigate establishing similar programs. emerging heARTs will see Emerge supporters, and past and current clients gather at a very special party to celebrate the ...

Sofia* and her two children know only too well what it is like to live in extreme fear. After escaping violence, she fled her partner and was living in temporary accommodation. For a while she thought she was safe until her former partner found her in a shopping centre. Fortunately, she was referred to Emerge, and through its involvement in Safe at Home, a Victorian Government initiative, Sofia and her children are being supported in many ...