Thanks to Shaz Harrison-Shaw
Our December distribution day at Darcy house in Port Kembla was the biggest one yet!
The Need a Feed team, with help from the Darcy House crew, managed to distribute over 700 parcels filled with personal care items and food, to those doing it tough from Bellambi to Port Kembla and beyond.
Nathan from Heard McEwan lawyers was part of the day and helped to add the sense of community by putting on a BBQ.
It was great to share some stories together over a meal, it really completed the day and brought about a sense of community.
I love bringing people from all walks of life together, and food is definately one way to do that.
The stories of hardship, perseverance and determination brought tears to my eyes.
One story was from ‘Lucy’ who has been diagnosed with breast cancer which sees her needing expensive treatments and unable to continue working. Her next challenge was her life partner and her brother died all in one mean swoop.
Life can be extremely challenging for some of us. She still had time on the day to be grateful for the little things and picked some beautiful frangipanis for us to put around to brighten up the day.
A huge thanks to one of our major sponsors Gary and Belinda from Bulli Fruit and Deli for their continued support . They’ve been behind us from the day Need a Feed began. They are so generous and help us to make a real life difference.
To our wonderful dedicated team of volunteers who were there to lend a listening ear and help to transport the parcels to our ‘host’, I thank you beyond words.
There were a lot of very happy faces, all of the recipients were very grateful and enjoyed sharing a meal and some stories.
Christmas Day lunch at the Port Kembla Community centre hall was also a huge success. Around 60 people shared lunch and the bonus was we were able to give some take home packs of baked vegetables, fresh ham, drinks, personal care packs and more to those doing it tough.
One patron even said she has been by herself for so many Christmases and can’t remember receiving a present on Christmas Day!
We were able to provide her with a ‘present’ which was a pre loved handbag full of personal care items thanks to ‘Share the Dignity’.
We were also able to spend some time and a meal with her which I think is the greatest gift of all.
Thanks to Tony at Tony’s chicken shop who went above and beyond, the wonderful volunteers and everyone who contributed to make the day a success, we were able to brighten up what can sometimes be a really tough, lonely day for some.
“Be grateful for the little things, because one day you will realise they were the big things”
Shaz
Need a Feed