On this Mother’s Day, we honour the mothers whose love, resilience and quiet strength shape not only their families—but their communities. One such mother is Louise, a volunteer with Rosies – Friends on the Street, whose journey, through hardship, has become a foundation for hope and empathy. 

Louise with her outreach team in Wynnum Manly

Louise raised her two sons as a single mother, often facing impossible choices: paying rent or feeding her children, keeping the lights on or moving—again. Over the last 20 years, her family has lived in 21 different houses, chasing the affordable housing dream. At one point, they were forced to separate with her eldest son living with his grandmother and Louise and her youngest son living in a converted bus, parked in her auntie’s backyard.  

“We had no personal belongings—just bags with our clothes. We knew it was temporary, just a place to sleep so we didn’t really make it a home,” she remembers. 

That experience shaped Louise deeply—not just as a mother but as a person. And now, through Rosies, she channels that resilience into connection with others who feel forgotten or alone. 

“I know what it’s like to be isolated,” Louise says. “Volunteering with Rosies is about more than giving back. It’s about being part of a community.” 

As a mother and someone with lived experience, Louise brings a unique presence to Rosies’ outreach. She knows what it means to feel invisible, to be judged unfairly or to carry the weight of decisions no one else sees. 

“Parenting teaches you tools—patience, perspective, resilience. And it helps you meet people where they are. Not with judgement but with understanding.” 

Jan & Louise with the Dolphins NRL team mascot

Her favourite memory from outreach is a man named Frank—a local patron who had recently lost his mother and had spent his last money on cigarettes, arriving at Rosies simply to have a bite to eat and find someone to talk to. 

“He told me stories about his life—heartfelt, moving stories. He’d moved back to care for his mum and then she passed and he was all alone,” Louise says. “He reminded me that love drives people to do hard things. Just like motherhood does.” 

Louise’s story reminds us that homelessness doesn’t discriminate and neither does love. The same care and protection she gave her sons, she now offers to strangers—some of whom just need to sit quietly with a cup of tea. 

“People assume Rosies is just about food,” she says. “But it’s really about being present. Sometimes, it’s just company. And that can mean everything.” 

This Mother’s Day, we thank all of those in the Rosies community who “mother” in every sense of the word. Because of your generosity, individuals like Louise not only survive, but shine. They become pillars of strength in their communities. They show us, through example, what compassion looks like in action. 

“I lived in survival mode for years,” Louise reflects. “But now, I’ve found community. And I get to be that safe space for someone else.” 

This Mother’s Day, let’s celebrate mothers in every shape and form—who, like Louise, pour love into the world, one person, one story, one cuppa at a time. 

Happy Mother’s Day from everyone at Rosies.