Leanne Bienke Secures Home After Years of Homelessness in Tamworth

Leanne Bienke spent almost five years without stable housing, moving between motels, couch‑surfing and sleeping on the streets. She described the daily struggle, including washing clothes by hand and limited access to basic facilities, which took a toll on her mental health.

With assistance from local providers, her caseworker Carmel Neal at the charity Sora, and the Tamworth Homeless Connect committee, Bienke was placed in permanent accommodation. She says the new home has dramatically improved her wellbeing and independence, noting, "I'm so happy that I've got a home now. That I'm not walking the streets like I was." Amber Smyth of Tamworth Homeless Connect highlighted that homelessness also includes people in crisis accommodation and transitional housing, underscoring the broader community challenge.