Lily Cardis | In cost-of-living crisis we must remember poverty could touch any of us

With inflation recently at a 21-year high, and wages failing to keep up, each visit to the grocery store - or cautious glance at a power bill - confirms that money is getting tighter.

That paying for essentials is getting just a little bit harder.

I am a working professional with a full-time job, and still the rising cost of living remains front of mind.

I have not always had the security of a regular income to rely on.

I was raised by a single mum, and our family of four were supported by the single parent pension.

I cannot help but think of how incredibly difficult it would have been for us to cope if everything were as unaffordable then as it is now.

Living in a financially unstable household is not easy for a young person. It affects the way you see yourself and your engagement with your education.

When I was in high school, I was surrounded by well-connected families who had swimming pools and played weekend sport and went on regular Thredbo holidays.

I quickly learned that my pension-funded, one-parent family was something I couldn't talk about if I wanted to relate to my peers.

While mum helped to minimise the impacts of our situation, there were times when we couldn't hide the reality of how hard things were.

I will never forget the embarrassment of wearing the same uniform multiple days in a row because we could not afford a second uniform, or the water bill that came with laundering more than once a week.

Or the shame that would wash over me during my primary school sport class, when I would unlace my worn-out school shoes to reveal my once white socks, now beige, and well-worn.

Fortunately, my sisters and I had an extremely supportive mother who pushed us both academically and creatively.

Mum was our biggest advocate and did all she could to ensure we had a good education. She got us involved in free enrichment opportunities, such as school choirs, community dance lessons and the premier's reading challenge.

In this challenging economic climate, young Australians from struggling families need help and support if they are to thrive. Governments, communities, and organisations must play a role. We were lucky to receive support with our education from one such organisation, The Smith Family.

I was brought onto their Learning for Life program from when I was 12 and it made a huge impact on my school life.

Donations from generous Australians allowed mum to afford education essentials, which boosted my self-esteem. In my new uniform I felt able to contribute to class discussions without the fear of standing out for the wrong reasons.

I was supported by the charity until I finished my degree, and now I have a successful career in communications. Best of all, my Mum is so proud.

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While I am so grateful for the life I now have, it has taken me a long time to speak about how disadvantage shaped my childhood.

However, I think it's more relevant than ever to shed light on poverty and its impacts, with so many families currently facing an uncertain economic future.

Earlier this year, I was given the opportunity to share my story as part of The Smith Family's Winter Appeal.

While I was nervous to reveal this part of myself, I understood the value of a real story to inspire people to give, so I was willing to set my fears aside to give back to the organisation that helped me.

When the campaign went out, I was not prepared for such a positive response.

If I had told my younger self that I would be praised for where I had come from, she would never have believed me. Yet here I was on the receiving end of kind messages from complete strangers.

However, what these kind strangers must understand is that each one of us is just a few steps away from poverty. It could be the loss of a job, a serious illness, a relationship breakdown. Or it could be record inflation, rising mortgage payments and a skyrocketing rental market.

Conversely, it takes a few small steps to change a life. Generous Australians sponsored me with my education, which helped me to finish year 12, graduate from university, and land my first job.

Generous Australians now can transform the lives of another generation.