‘Tony’s Kitchen saved us’: Mum of four shares her homeless journey

Moving to town was going to be a fresh start for this mother-of- four, instead the family has been forced to live in their car after hundreds of failed rental applications.

SERVING A SIDE OF HOPE: Jenn Belford (centre) thanks Tony's Community Kitchen directors Alison Hunter and Jo Noonan (right) as the charity opens in a new James Street address. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Jenn Belford and her four children would have been left to struggle in silence from the cramped confinement of their car had it not been for the generous volunteers behind Tony’s Community Kitchen.

“We were forced to leave Goondiwindi in February as we had to escape the growing violent neighbourhood we were living in,” Ms Belford said.

“I moved to Toowoomba to protect my kids. I’ve been knocked back for every rental application, despite looking at hundreds of houses and units since then. I felt like I’d hit rock bottom.”

Jenn Belford, at the new address of Tony's Community Kitchen, has been helped enormously by the charity since moving to Toowoomba. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Ms Belford said she’s applied to hundreds of rental properties since arriving in Toowoomba.

“I’ve looked at more than 100 in the past month alone and had no luck yet,” she said.

“We had no choice but to live in our car with our two dogs for three months until we managed to find a hotel to stay in back in May, which is costing me $750 a week.”

Ms Belford is among hundreds of people who cannot find permanent, long term accommodation in Toowoomba with more than 500 people sleeping rough in the Garden City each night.

Thanks to Tony’s Community Kitchen, this single mother can at least hunt for homes and hope for a better future for her family on a full belly.

“After I met the team behind Tony’s Community Kitchen and things started to turn around. They have been an absolute godsend,” she said.

“We had cereal for breakfast, warm clothes for the kids, sandwiches for lunch boxes again – Tony’s gave us some hope again. Without them we wouldn’t have even had a box of Weet-Bix in the pantry let alone fresh fruit and vegetables and warm meals at night.”

Jenn Belford (centre) thanks Tony's Community Kitchen directors Alison Hunter and Jo Noonan (right) as the charity opens in a new James Street address. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Ms Belford recently secured a full-time cleaning role with Angie’s Domestic Duties, which helped get the new Tony’s Community Kitchen space all spick and span for the official opening on Thursday.

“Helping get the new premises ready for the grand opening was a very proud moment for me. I hope one day I can give back to the community that helped us out,” she said.

“This space is going to be able to help so many more people who are going through what we’re going through and I’m so glad there are people out there like the volunteers who run Tony’s because without them I’d be in a very dark place.”
Ms Belford and her family are still desperately searching for a permanent rental property.
If you are able to help with their housing situation, please contact Tony’s Community Kitchen here or phone [phone].

Tony’s Community Kitchen is now located at 174A James Street.