Meals for the Homeless at St Patricks Church Hill
For the last 6 years or so, homeless men and women have been served breakfast each Saturday at St Patrick’s Church, Grosvenor Street, Sydney. This is a work undertaken by the Society of Mary- a collaboration of the Marist Priests, Marist Nuns and lay volunteers from all over Sydney, including Hunters Hill, a work that has this year extended to Sunday breakfast as well.
In addition to the food that is cooked and served on site, clothing, shoes, new socks, toiletries, camping bedding and backpacks as available are set out in a discreet area at the back of the crypt area, for the men and women to take what they need.
Tea, Coffee, milo, and juice as well as cereal are available from 5.00am. The hot buffet breakfast is served from 6.30am and regularly includes a barbeque of sausages, bacon and eggs with leg ham, fried rice, vegetables, salad, hash browns, mushrooms, pasta, baked beans, potatoes and toast, followed by desert and fresh fruit as available- all prepared onsite, and served by volunteers who often include senior students from Marist Sister’s College, Woolwich and Cerdon College, Merrylands.
Each guest is given a gift pack at Christmas and a special Christmas celebration is put together – last year even including our Hunters Hill Ukulele Group leading the Carols and entertainment.
The guests who regularly turn up benefit not only from the food and the supply of necessities as available, they also enjoy sitting around in a warm and welcoming environment with a hot drink and invaluable social contact- catching up with each other and the volunteers, the priests and Sr Fidelis SM, the unstoppable force behind the whole organisation. Lasting friendships are formed.
Everything is wound up and cleaning completed by 8.00am.
The aim of the breakfasts is of course to feed the homeless- but in the truly Marian way. Each of the guests is treated with unending respect, and the atmosphere is warm and convivial. It is a very rewarding work.
Anyone interested in volunteering in this work can contact Sr Fidelis on 0484 312598- or just turn up!
There are no rosters or requirements, though a Working With Children Certificate is needed for regular volunteers.
Donations of food, money and articles of clothing, toiletries, new socks and backpacks are gratefully accepted and can be left at The Parish Office of Villa Maria or St Patrick’s Sydney.
In addition to the food that is cooked and served on site, clothing, shoes, new socks, toiletries, camping bedding and backpacks as available are set out in a discreet area at the back of the crypt area, for the men and women to take what they need.
Tea, Coffee, milo, and juice as well as cereal are available from 5.00am. The hot buffet breakfast is served from 6.30am and regularly includes a barbeque of sausages, bacon and eggs with leg ham, fried rice, vegetables, salad, hash browns, mushrooms, pasta, baked beans, potatoes and toast, followed by desert and fresh fruit as available- all prepared onsite, and served by volunteers who often include senior students from Marist Sister’s College, Woolwich and Cerdon College, Merrylands.
Each guest is given a gift pack at Christmas and a special Christmas celebration is put together – last year even including our Hunters Hill Ukulele Group leading the Carols and entertainment.
The guests who regularly turn up benefit not only from the food and the supply of necessities as available, they also enjoy sitting around in a warm and welcoming environment with a hot drink and invaluable social contact- catching up with each other and the volunteers, the priests and Sr Fidelis SM, the unstoppable force behind the whole organisation. Lasting friendships are formed.
Everything is wound up and cleaning completed by 8.00am.
The aim of the breakfasts is of course to feed the homeless- but in the truly Marian way. Each of the guests is treated with unending respect, and the atmosphere is warm and convivial. It is a very rewarding work.
Anyone interested in volunteering in this work can contact Sr Fidelis on 0484 312598- or just turn up!
There are no rosters or requirements, though a Working With Children Certificate is needed for regular volunteers.
Donations of food, money and articles of clothing, toiletries, new socks and backpacks are gratefully accepted and can be left at The Parish Office of Villa Maria or St Patrick’s Sydney.