Check the temperature in most places around the country right now and you’d be hard pressed to find a figure above the 20°C mark. It’s cold. And for most of us, this chilly slide into winter triggers the obligatory retrieval of heaters and loading up on comfort food. But for more than homeless people in Australia, winter triggers anxiety about staying warm, healthy and finding the next feed. Thanks to the hundreds of charities doing their good work all over the country, a portion of our homeless will eat tonight and some will be given a roof over their head in a boarding house or shelter.
One of the charities working at the frontline of the homelessness issue is , and its Sydney workers see firsthand the challenges the cooler weather brings. Founder Reverend Bill Crews reveals that hunger is not the only problem faced by people living rough: “A profile of the homeless who eat at The Exodus Foundation shows that on average they suffer at least two chronic illnesses, like diabetes and heart disease. Winter only compounds the problem with pneumonia being a significant risk. That’s why we give the homeless flu shots and we also keep them healthy with low-sugar, low-fat meals and warm clothing.”
Rev Bill Crews continues: “Getting a nutritious hot meal can make all the difference – we prepare 800 healthy meals for the homeless every day. Often the meal we give them is the only one they get.” The Exodus Foundation feeds the disadvantaged and homeless from its food van at Yurong Park in Woolloomooloo and from its Loaves and Fishes Restaurant in Ashfield, and the charity is always looking to fill its to help care for these people in a meaningful way.
At the in Sydney’s Kings Cross the local homeless population can enjoy flavoursome home-cooked meals. Every Wednesday night, St Canice’s Kitchen buzzes with volunteers cooking Feather and Bone meat and Cana Farm vegetables. According to co-founder, Rob Caslick, feeding the stomach and the soul are equally as important. “I was having dinner at the soup kitchen recently with a bloke who sleeps rough and he said, ‘for one hour each week, when I eat your food, I don’t feel homeless’. Our mantra is ‘food is more than food’. We believe these people are worthy of these meals, and we do everything we can to make them the absolute best.”
On top of providing a nourishing meal at the soup kitchen, Rob has established a social enterprise called where people in Sydney and Melbourne CBD can order a delicious chef-inspired meal and have it delivered to their office, and Two Good will create the same meal and deliver it directly to a woman living in a local refuge. It’s the “buy one, get one free” concept come to philanthropic life. Consumers can also purchase homemade muesli and now, the – buy one and the Two Good guys will deliver a hair and skin pack to a woman who’s just arrived at a safe house. Oh, and to complete the circle, Two Good Co employs women in these refuges to cook in the soup kitchen for women in the same predicament.
Watch how the Two Good Co is making an impact at street level right here:
And for the next few weeks, there’s another way to help the homeless get a good meal. It’s an initiative spearheaded by food delivery company and SBS, which have partnered to aid in providing meals for homeless Australians.
It’s called Meal for a Meal and it’s it's operating through the Foodora app. Users are being encouraged to ‘pay it forward’ by donating a meal to the homeless through OzHarvest. It’s simple to do – after selecting a meal for home delivery or pick-up via the Foodora app from now until 2 July, users can add a donation to their order at checkout, with the donation amount going straight to OzHarvest.
Australia’s leading perishable food rescue organisation, OzHarvest works with its food superheroes to deliver meals through its 900 charity partners all over the country, including homeless shelters, refuges, indigenous centres, organisations that service people with alcohol or drug addictions, mental health issues, people with disabilities and the elderly. OzHarvest’s Head of Fundraising, Henrietta Ardlie, says, “Thanks to SBS and Foodora, the Meal for a Meal campaign will help OzHarvest to provide 10,000 meals to help feed people in need.”
Those who are not into takeaway or live beyond Foodora’s service area can donate directly to OzHarvest via SBS’s and learn more about the initiative, too. Foodora chief marketing officer, Charlotte Rijkenberg, says, “We’re excited to support OzHarvest again through the partnership with SBS. Last year, we were able to donate 10,000 meals to Australians in need via OzHarvest and we’re thrilled to build on that through the Meal for a Meal initiative this year.”
This Meal for a Meal campaign coincides with the airing of SBS documentary series , airing across three nights, 27-29 June, at 8.30pm. This powerful series asks five wealthy Australians to trade in their fortunate lives for 10 days and nights, living among Australia’s homeless community.
Of SBS’s involvement, the company’s marketing director, Amanda McGregor, comments, “We’re proud to be partnering with Foodora to support OzHarvest with the brilliant Meal for a Meal initiative… This partnership offers audiences an opportunity to directly contribute to OzHarvest’s critical work with homeless communities right around the country.”
Lead image by Nikki To.
a new three-part documentary series, will explore the experience of homelessness. Watch it on SBS Tuesday 27, Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 June at 8.30 pm. Each show will be available to view on after broadcast.
