Joy Owen, Amanda Portus and Megan Edwards spend every Wednesday packing care packages for women DV at Catherine House

For 20 years, this trio has been creating packs for homeless women, watching demand double as the housing crisis deepens.

Retired teachers Joy Owen, Amanda Portus and Megan Edwards spend every Wednesday packing care packages for women escaping homelessness and domestic violence at Catherine House.

When the trio, who have been friends for years, first started volunteering 20 years ago, they would pack 20 bags.

Amanda Portus and Joy Owen at Catherine House. Pic RoyVPhotography

Now they’re packing at least 50 as Adelaide’s housing crisis deepens.

“There’s a lot more need,” Ms Portus said.

“It’s probably doubled and that’s been quite recently since the pandemic.

“Now we’re also providing packs for people working in the outreach areas too.”

The trio, known as ‘JAM’, spend hours sorting through donations to put together toiletry packs and ‘treat bags’ tailored to each woman’s needs and delivered monthly.

They also create ‘Moving On’ packs including essential household items like dinnerware and sheets for women moving into their own homes.

“We don’t give them second-hand things, they deserve to have everything new because it’s about renewal,” Ms Owen said.

Longtime Catherine House volunteers Joy, Amanda and Megan aka JAM. Picture: Supplied

“It’s an incredibly fulfilling thing to do for the three of us.”

Ms Portus said: “These women are so vulnerable and you want to give them all the tools you can to go out there and live their best lives.

“We’re trying to support with as much dignity and respect as we can.”

Founded in 1988, Catherine House provides crisis, longer term accommodation and support services for women experiencing homelessness in South Australia.

In the past 12 months, there’s been a 36 per cent increase in the number of women reaching out for help.

At any given time, they have between 35 and 55 women on their waitlist.

“It’s such an important organisation,” Ms Potus said.

“The difference with Katherine House is that they don’t take people in for a few nights and then off you go, its long-term care.

“It’s life-threatening not to have places like this.”

Originally published as Joy Owen, Amanda Portus and Megan Edwards spend every Wednesday packing care packages for women DV at Catherine House