Like many people who walk through our doors, Grant had a difficult start in life.

“I had a traumatic upbringing with lots of yelling and hitting. My parents got along like oil and water; they were always fighting, and home was a very hostile, anxious environment for me and my four siblings. Every single one of us kids got kicked out of home at least once.”

Grant stayed with school friends for a while when he couldn’t be at home, and he found solace from family difficulties when playing sport.

Without family support, Grant struggled at school and left to work as a labourer. Meanwhile tensions at home were coming to a head.

“I was so anxious that the thought of surviving on my own seemed impossible. I was in a frightful state of desperately not wanting to be at home, but also not being able to move out. Eventually, things got so bad that I did move out when I was 19.”

Life started looking up when Grant met his partner, and they had three children together.

“I really enjoyed being a father and I resolved that I was not going to be like my dad. I love them.”

Determined to be reliable for his family, Grant started counselling. But when he experienced a relapse into drinking, it placed significant strain on his relationship, and the couple eventually parted ways.

“She was very empathetic and supported me until she couldn’t any longer. I had no possessions, nowhere to live, and I tried to take my life several times.”

Grant’s counsellor recommended visiting Hutt St Centre.

“When I first came to Hutt St, I was greeted at the door and showed around. I had a warm shower and a hot meal, which was brilliant also because the people serving it are really nice.”

“I was very surprised about the support on offer. It’s encouraging to see that there is help there, and I felt safe.”

Beyond meeting immediate needs like meals, Grant had found the support he needed to start rebuilding his life, working with Gemma from our Aspire team.

“Gemma and the Aspire team are beautiful people doing a really hard job and doing it really well. They saved my life and gave me a life.

“Having three years of support was invaluable. My world turned around. I was no longer teetering on the edge of survival, and I had genuine hope that I could get through the tunnel and out in the world and living as a functioning person.”

After working together for seven months, Gemma found Grant a quiet, peaceful home and provided him with new furniture and household essentials to help him settle in.

“What Hutt St provided me was just incredible. They took all the worry out of the moving process. My home became a base for getting the help I needed and to recover my health and from addiction.”

With a roof over his head, Grant had the stability he needed to work on his drinking and connected with Hutt St Centre’s Alcohol and Other Drug Counsellor.

Hanging pictures on his walls, getting to know his neighbours, and rediscovering a love for cooking has given Grant a sense of homefulness. He’s continuing to work on his mental health, connecting with his children and breaking the cycle of trauma for good.

“My youngest child just wrote me a beautiful letter about how relieved they are to see me come through it. It means the world to me, because trauma gets passed on through the generations. But so does healing – and knowing that healing is starting for them – I mean that’s just gold.”

“Hutt St have changed my life, it’s a place that enables hope for people who feel like they’re a hopeless case. It feels like I’m talking about someone else now. I am an entirely different person than what you would’ve met even a year and a half ago, even six months ago. Any support that you can give to Hutt St is offering hope to people who don’t feel included in society. Thank you for showing compassion and giving people a chance at a better future.”