The gift of a fresh start

Perry* is 44 years old, living on his own after spending years with a family member. He’s blind and was waiting for his benefits to be sorted, all while dealing with a debt that was run up by a family member. He's been through a lot of challenges, while he tried to find a new beginning.

For a long time, Perry didn’t have much in his new home, and only had one chair that was falling apart. He needed a proper sofa to sit on, somewhere to relax at the end of the day and a slow cooker, which would enable him to cook for himself. His neighbours were kind enough to help, but he needed more independence.

The local Acts 435 Advocate posted a request for both a sofa and a slow cooker that would help him to achieve the fresh start he needed. His request was quickly met by donors to help him with his new beginning.

The sofa gave him a place to rest, to finally sit down and unwind, and the slow cooker was Perry's key to his independence as it could be customised with Braille buttons, which would enable him to cook meals for himself, no longer relying on others. Perry could look forward to the small but meaningful joy of enjoying a hot meal, made in his own kitchen, on a sofa that he could finally call his own.

Perry’s was very thankful to the donors that gave towards his request for help:

“There are no words to show how greatly I appreciate your kindness. Here’s to a fresh new chapter in my life. A simple act of kindness from complete strangers is going to help me believe life goes on. I will make a hot meal and be able to sit on a sofa to enjoy it. THANK YOU.”

These gifts, though simple, gave Perry the chance to take control of his daily life again. It’s a reminder that even small acts of kindness can make a huge difference, and for Perry, this one simple gesture has opened the door to a new beginning.

*name changed for anonymity