about us
Founded by Mangrove Community Homes, The Forgotten Women is a dedicated initiative aimed at providing safe and secure housing for women over 55. Through restoring the simple dignity of having a place to call home, we are helping to give these women stability and the chance to age in place without fear of becoming homeless.
our story
The Forgotten Women began in 2018, not as an idea in a boardroom, but in a moment of witnessing.
While participating in the 1000 Haircuts for the Homeless project, our CEO noticed something quietly confronting: a growing number of older women lining up for help. Many had never been homeless before. They were women who had worked, raised families, helped shape their communities, and lived full lives, yet now found themselves without a secure place to call home.
Wanting to understand why, further research revealed a hidden truth, older women are the fastest‑growing group experiencing homelessness in Australia. Generations of women are facing the perfect storm of rising housing costs, limited superannuation, lack of housing supply, relationship loss /widowed and unprecedented rising cost of living.
The name The Forgotten Women came from a deeply personal reflection. Our CEO realised her own daughter would grow up benefiting from equal pay, superannuation, and vocational choice, the very rights earned through the sacrifices of these women. And yet we had allowed them to age into poverty and housing insecurity, largely unseen and unheard – Forgotten.
The Forgotten Women was born from that moment. Our mission is to make the invisible visible, to ensure older women are not dismissed, ignored, or forgotten.
Today, we exist for one simple but urgent reason: to make sure every older woman has a safe, secure home, and the dignity to age without fear of becoming homeless.
why are we helping
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Because everyone deserves a home.
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1 in 7 people experiencing homelessness in Australia are over 55, with women being the fastest growing segment.
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The number of homeless older women is set to double by 2032.
how we are helping
We're delivering a dedicated pipeline of building projects that are adding
much needed affordable housing supply for older women
We're providing access to affordable rental properties. We're providing weekly rental top-ups, ensuring older women can remain in their homes
We're raising awareness and providing a platform for older women to tell their stories
why are they the fastest growing homeless group?
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limited financial resources
limited work history
no superannuation
women over 55 are likely to have 40% less superannuation than their male counterparts
limited savings
pay inequality
equal pay wasn’t granted until 1969
babyboomers
raising children
between 1940 - 1960 women accounted for only 25% of the workforce
widowed
separated
38% of women aged 65+ are widowed
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fear & stigma
generational stigma
stigma associated with seeking welfare assistance
reluctance to identify as living in poverty or homeless
limited system knowledge
stoic
lack of knowledge about the services available to them
failure to see themselves as needing help
financial control
lifetime of partner managing and controlling finances
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housing supply
affordability
unable to access financing
cost prohibitive mortgage age limitations
pension and rental assistance payments have not kept up with cost of living increases
older women are at risk of pre-maturely entered into the aged care system due to lack of affordable housing options
housing crisis
low supply, high costs
rental market
high costs
older women's income is not competitive in rental applications
rent calculated on income
rent will never exceed 30% of total income of the older women, irrespective of what the home could be rented for in the private market
no displacement from communities
homes need to be within areas these women have lived their lives
livability
buy, build, renovate and refurbish only suitable housing
affordable
homes must for affordable for life
key values embedded in what we do
no relocation away from support networks, family and services
fit-for-purpose homes that support aging in place
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meet the team
Sandra Lupi - Chair
Appointed as a Director in 2014, Sandra is a graduate and member of AICD with 15 years' experience in leadership within a community-based organisation with services in areas of education, health and aged care, disability support, and family and refugee support. Sandra was appointed Chair of Mangrove Homes in 2022.
Sandra has a Masters in Social Administration majoring in community development. Her involvement with the Queensland Department of Housing within the Community Renewal Program gave Sandra firsthand experience of working with and for clients of social and affordable housing.
Sandra is a member of the Business Development and Property Committee. Sandra is also a Director on the Board of the Presentation Sisters Qld.
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Marie Mortimer - Director
Marie is the Managing Director of loans.com.au, one of Australia’s largest online lenders. Marie launched loans.com.au in 2011 with the support of wholesale funder Firstmac. She is also the Chief Commercial Officer at Firstmac, responsible for all digital, sales, marketing, customer care learning and human resources functions across the Group. Prior to her time at loans.com.au and Firstmac, Marie worked across the finance
and IT industries in Australia and the UK. Marie has a Bachelor of Business, majoring in banking and finance with a funds management extended major, a post graduate certificate in property economics and a diploma of financial planning. Marie is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Director of Fintech Queensland.
Marie joined the Mangrove Homes Board in 2020.
Laurence Rogencamp - Director
Laurence was formerly Company Secretary and Group Chief Corporate Development & Legal at Mater Misericordiae Ltd. He is a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland, with more than 30 years experience. He has practiced extensively in corporate law, property law and contract law.
Laurence has also worked extensively as the Property Director for the Sisters of Mercy, undertaking large scale subdivision projects, joint ventures, major residential developments and renovation projects. He is a Director of Holy Cross Services Ltd and owns interests in the hospitality industry. He is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Laurence joined the Board of Mangrove Home in 2021.
Laurence is the Chair of the Business Development & Property Committee and Chair of the Project Control Group.
Loucas is a Chartered Accountant and a Partner in the audit team at BDO in Brisbane with over 14 years' accounting experience working with large private local and international companies and small to medium listed entities across a number of industries with specific expertise in the real estate and construction sector. Loucas was appointed to the Board of Mangrove Housing Ltd in July of 2021 and currently chairs the Board's Finance and Risk Committee.
Loucas Mylonas - Director
Loucas' extensive knowledge in financial reporting and governance helps him assist clients in complying with Australian Accounting Standards and all relevant prudential and compliance driven regulations. He has substantial experience providing recommendations to boards and those charged with governance on process improvement, technical accounting and financial matters.
Stuart Lummis - Director
Stuart was appointed as a Director 2024 and has many years’ experience as a senior executive and company director. Stuart has a strong background in the property sector and managing complex property portfolios, gained through his role as the Chief of Development and Capital Planning for Southern Cross Care Qld and as the former Director of Property for the Catholic Archdiocese.
He has extensive experience in both large publicly listed groups and not-for-profit organisation’s. He is also a member of the Property Council of Australia’s Retirement Living Committee, a Director of Brisbane Markets Ltd, Deaf Connect, National Trust (Australia) Queensland, Bolton Clarke and the Chair of the Heritage Council of Queensland. He is a member of the Queensland Catholic Education Commission Capital Assessment Committee
Teresa Reed - CEO
Teresa Reed is the Chief Executive Officer of The Forgotten Women and Mangrove Community Homes where she leads with a deep commitment to housing justice, social impact, and dignity for vulnerable communities.
Teresa holds undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in behavioural science, business, and research, and brings extensive experience from NFP, State and Federal government roles across the human services spectrum, including employment services, disability, and aged care. This background gives her a unique understanding of both the systemic causes of disadvantage and the policy environments that shape service delivery.