Early in 2018 we approached our Parish Priest Fr Bernard Buckley with the thought that the Parish could operate a ‘Soup Kitchen. Fr Buckley had experience with the operation of a Soup Kitchen’ in St Michael’s Parish, Traralgon and was supportive of the idea. The first step was to make sure that we had parishioner support by holding an open meeting to welcome any parishioner who wanted to help or who had ideas. This meeting was a success and so, after investigating what was currently being offered in our region, we commenced in mid 2018 “Paddy’s Kitchen” serving a sit-down Sunday evening Roast Dinner. We used our Parish kitchen facilities to prepare the meal and served our guests in our community hall. Donations, some sizeable, allowed us to purchase our ingredients and volunteers came from the Parish.
Our first dinners commenced on the first Sunday of the month frequency with about 40 guests. However, this soon grew to 70 guests with a frequency of twice a month. The cost for each dinner session was about $250 with desserts being provided by parishioners. The number of Volunteers required for each session.
• A leader.
• Four in the Kitchen to prepare and cook the Roast.
.png)
• Three to set up the seating and dress the tables.
• Four to meet and greet our guests and see them seated.
• Three to serve the meal and clean up afterwards.
When the Covid 19 Pandemic hit we were finally forced to cease our sit-down option and, after some absence, commenced serving take-away meals on a Sunday 4-5pm on a weekly basis. We will continue on this pattern until the planned renovation of our church is completed this year and then, hopefully, return to long awaited sit-down meals again.
We currently serve between 50-90 takeaway dinners and desserts and our clientele could be now and pre Covid sit down dinners could be summed up as:
• Those struggling with life in general and with the cost of food
• Those living in boarding houses and some on the street
• Single Mums who appreciate a quality dinner for their children.
• Lonely men and women (who now are the ones who miss the friendship of a quality sit down dinner.
Paddy’s Kitchen operated on Christmas Day 2022 and we served up 50 quality dinners of roast turkey, smoked ham with speciality salads together with festive Christmas desserts.
.png)
We are forever surprised by those we meet at Paddy’s Kitchen…. from the elderly parishioner couple who donated $100 after Mass or to one of our guests who told us how she spent Christmas day caring for three autistic children “to give their mum respite over Christmas”!!
Our leadership operates as a team, with one Coordinator and five dinner leaders, who meet often, discuss the how things are working and schedule the leaders for the upcoming weeks. We are eagerly awaiting the completion of the church renovation so we can return to a sit-down menu.
We would be please to help any other Parish get started with their own Paddy’s Kitchen. There is a great need in our communities.
Article by Herbie O' Flynn
.png)
