God’s Church has a vital role to play in ending the isolation of financial struggle

After 25 years of partnering with churches nationwide, Christians Against Poverty (CAP) Australia is launching a new name and brand: Hope Economy.

Chief Executive Officer Rosie Kendall said the brand change reflects a deep, multi-year evolution of the organisation in response to the significant problem of people in Australia struggling with financial pressure in isolation.

“Over the past seven years we’ve been through a significant season of rebuilding and alignment, internally, culturally and strategically,” Rosie said.

“This moment is the final step of that journey.

“Our conviction is as strong as ever: Jesus offers whole-life transformation, and God’s Church has a vital role to play in ending the isolation of financial struggle in our nation.”

Research highlights the urgency of this moment. Almost one in two Australians report experiencing distress from financial pressure, with financial challenges identified as the leading cause of distress impacting mental health and wellbeing nationwide (Beyond Blue, 2024).

At the same time, financial hardship and loneliness are increasingly linked, with people whose financial needs are poorly met far more likely to experience persistent isolation (Ending Loneliness Together, 2024).

According to Foodbank’s 2025 Hunger Report, almost 3.5 million Australian households experienced food insecurity in the past year, with rising living costs placing increasing pressure on families and individuals across every community.

Rosie said these realities sit at the heart of why Hope Economy exists.

“Financial struggle is rarely just about numbers on a page,” Rosie said.

“It’s deeply connected to anxiety, shame and isolation. We believe the love of Jesus transforms the way we see and respond to that struggle and that the local Church is God’s answer to people feeling alone.”

Founded in Australia in 2000, CAP Australia began with partnering with churches to provide debt management assistance to people facing financial hardship. In recent years, the ministry has intentionally broadened its focus, moving beyond an emphasis on debt alone to partnering with churches and equipping God’s people to walk alongside anyone who may be struggling with their financial situation.

Rosie said the new name ‘Hope Economy’ reflects how the ministry has grown and diversified in Australia.

“Our core mission hasn’t changed, and Jesus remains at the centre of everything we do,” she said.

“What has changed is our desire to speak more clearly into the realities people are facing today, and to invite the Church into a hopeful, counter-cultural way of responding.”

Rosie said the new brand is intended to help the organisation partner with churches across the country, equipping everyday Christians to confidently and compassionately support people who are financially vulnerable in their communities.

“We are passionate about people coming to know Jesus and want to help churches be places of healing and connection for people currently experiencing isolation,” Rosie said.

Hope Economy will continue equipping local churches with training and resources to support people experiencing financial pressure, while calling the wider church to a deeper discipleship journey that reshapes how Christians relate to money and leads them toward deeper care for those who are financially vulnerable.

The rebrand follows a 12-month process of research, testing and consultation with church leaders, supporters, staff and the Board, supported by external expert agencies.

Hope Economy remains an active and committed member of the global CAP community, with CAP International offering its full support for the change.

Rosie said the launch of Hope Economy is ultimately an invitation.

“This isn’t about re-inventing ourselves,” she said.

“It’s about opening new doors, reaching new audiences, and helping the Church in Australia be known for the hope it stands for, especially in a time when so many are struggling.

“Money can be complicated. And when it’s tangled up in shame, isolation, and systems that feel too big to change, it’s easy to feel disempowered. “It’s about opening new doors, reaching new audiences, and helping the Church in Australia be known for the hope it stands for, especially in a time when so many are struggling.

“Money can be complicated. And when it’s tangled up in shame, isolation, and systems that feel too big to change, it’s easy to feel disempowered. But in God’s Kingdom, money can tell a different story, not of lack, but of love. And that’s what Hope Economy is all about.”

Feature image: Canva

When Jodie McEwen was given the chance to visit Uganda with Feed The Hungry, she didn’t hesitate. The Australian mum was already a supporter of Take Away Hunger Day, sponsoring meals for children. But what she saw when she arrived at the school wasn’t just eye-opening, it was life-altering.

“I knew theoretically these meals were important,” she says. “But I didn’t know it in my heart. It wasn’t until I stood in the middle of a classroom almost bowled over by kids desperate to get their food that it really hit home.”

That simple lunch of fortified rice- often the only meal the children would eat all day- was served from a huge communal pot, cooked over a fire, and scooped out into whatever container a child could bring. For the lucky ones, it was a plate or bowl. For others, a scrap of paper torn from an exercise book. But the image that still haunts her?

“The kids who brought a plastic bag,” she says quietly. “Not even a new one. The kind you’d use to pick up after a dog. Reused. Filthy. But it was all they had.”

Jodie travelled to Kiryandongo, a refugee settlement near Uganda’s northern border, where thousands of children who have fled war in South Sudan now live and go to school. Though the school has partnered with Feed The Hungry for eleven years, the poverty is beyond anything most Australians could imagine. Families scrape by on less than a dollar a day. There’s no electricity, no clean water, no safety net.

“The schools there are just walls and a roof,” she explains. “No windows. No desks. Just timber benches, dust floors, and hundreds of kids packed in like sardines.”

But every day, those children show up. Not because school is compulsory, but because they know that education is their only chance at a better life. And because Feed The Hungry make sure there’s lunch for them.

That meal- a simple bowl of rice and vegetables- is more than just food. It’s a reason to come to school. It’s a reason to stay and learn. It’s the thing that keeps children in classrooms long enough to dream of something more.

“The teachers told us they can tell the difference straight after lunch,” she says. “In the morning, the kids are tired, distracted, barely able to keep their heads up. After they eat, they can focus. They can learn.”

But the desperation never fully disappears. Jodie remembers the moment one child was jostled in the lunch line and dropped his food.

“I saw him hit the dirt and scramble- hands in the dust- trying to scoop up single grains of rice. He was that hungry. And I thought, we wouldn’t even feed that to our dog.”

As a mum, she says it broke her.

“My kids will never know hunger like that. But these children live with it every single day.”

Feed The Hungry has been working in this region for over 20 years, partnering with local churches, schools, and community leaders to deliver daily meals and long-term hope. It’s simple, consistent support, and it’s changing lives.

“This isn’t about handouts,” she says. “It’s about giving kids a fighting chance.”

What surprised her most wasn’t the poverty. It was the joy.

“These kids have suffered unimaginable trauma. They’ve fled war zones, been shot at, lost parents, siblings and family members in the chaos. But they still laugh, they still play. And when that pot of food comes in, their eyes light up.”

Now she’s back home, Jodie tells anyone who will listen: you don’t have to travel to Uganda to make a difference. You can do it here and now.

“One meal a day might not sound like much. But I’ve seen it. It can change everything.”

Article supplied with thanks to Christian Media & Arts Australia.

Feature image: Used with permission from Jodie McEwan