" The difference between a helping hand and an outstretched palm, is a twist of a wrist " ~ Laurence Leamer
We have been supplying hot meals and food, to the hungry and homeless of the Hawkesbury every Saturday night for the past 30 months ( prepared and cooked at home and then loaded into the car and served in the park ), as our local community kitchen is closed on weekends. When we first started out, we handed out pre-packed meals but our numbers grew (we have had up to 60 people - of all ages from babies to the very elderly), and we also realised that many suffer from isolation and loneliness, so for the past 28 months, we have had a sit down meal in our local park ( as well as a packed meal for everyone to take for the next day ). For a month over the holiday period the local community kitchen closes down completely for a month ( Mid December to Mid January ). During this time we go out three nights a week, as we did last year, also cooking/supplying enough food on these three days, so that after people had eaten, they were also able to take a packed meal with them, to eat the next day.
TA year ago we started also doing Wednesday lunch, an the last three Sunday Night Dinners.
To date we have gotten out over 37,000 plates of food.
We not only feed the hungry, but supply blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, food hampers, toiletries, swags and tents when available, to those who cannot find emergency shelter, or are turned away from ones that are already at capacity. Our phone might ring at any time day or night ......... and we help if we can.
We are running an emergency shelter out of our garage, without any actual shelter.
Across Australia and particularly in greater western Sydney there is a severe lack of affordable housing which is forcing many people and families into homelessness.
To emphasise how widespread this crisis is, I want to highlight some key figures that were released in 2011 by homelessness Australia. There is estimated to be 105,000 Australians who are homeless every night. That is one in every 200 Australians without safe, secure or affordable housing. 17% are under 12, that's 17,845 CHILDREN who are homeless each night in Australia.
In 2011, 220,000 Australians received support from specialist homelessness services. This equated to one in every 100 people. One in every 38 Australian children under the age of four spent time in a homelessness service over the course of 2009 to 2010. Every day more than half the people who request immediate accommodation from homelessness services are turned away. Two in every three children who need support are also turned away, as are almost 80 per cent of families.
The population of the hawkesbury is 64,000
Many people ask how we began so to best explain our journey from the beginning to where we are now, I have posted below a speech which my daughter wrote and gave August 2012.
Everyone can make a difference.
Here's our story on how my mum and me helped make a difference.
Let me take you back to the beginning.
Along time ago, when I was 8, I saw a man going through our garbage bin.
"Why is he doing that" I asked
"Probably looking for food because he is hungry" mum said
We asked him did he want some sandwich's or fruit, he shook his head and ran away.
My mum said he was probably embarrassed . It made me very sad.
How could ANYONE be THAT hungry ?
and THAT hungry in the Hawkesbury ?
The next day I was still very upset, and thinking about the man who was SO hungry he had to look in our garbage bin for food, but what could I do ? I was only 8.
I thought about it. He's hungry, he needs food, and I have pocket money.
So, I gave my mom my pocket money, and asked could she go buy some food and give it to him.
She said " No, you keep it ".
Because she didn't think we could find him, and had no idea where to start.
So, I used my special power ....... begging !
She said " I guess If you really want to help, I think I may know a way, there's a community kitchen close by. Lets see what we can do, and if we can help in someway, maybe the man goes there".
So, from then on every Wednesday night, we cooked a big pot of soup and took it hot to the community kitchen. And helped out by serving food, setting tables, clearing tables and washing dishes, what ever was needed, when needed.
We became known around town, as the soup ladies of Windsor, by everyone who ate there.
Pea and Ham is everyone's favorite.
After a few months of taking soup and helping, I one day walked through the front door instead of the side door, and read a sign.
That said the kitchen was closed on weekends.
"What do they do" ?
"Where do they eat " ?
I was very worried and sad.
They had no where to cook anything or make their food hot, that's if they could even get food.
When we got home, I told my mum and said " We have food, we should feed everyone on the weekends ".
"No, It's Impossible" "
"Why"
"Because"
"Because Why ? You always tell me to focus on what I can do, and not on what I can't do.
And to think about how it can be done, and NOT how it CAN'T be done "
So, the very next Wednesday night, we told everyone at the community kitchen to meet us in the park on Saturday night, it was September 2011.
We bought food, cooked it, and then packed a meal in a plastic container, with a bread roll, piece of fruit, a plastic knife, fork and spoon and then handed the packages out to everyone.
First night we had seven people.
Every week more people came and the numbers got bigger and bigger, sometimes we had 30 people.
Babies, children, families, young people, old people, lots of people.
My mum and I did this every Saturday night for 3 months, it makes you feel really good inside, when you help others.
Then one day, I read another sign, a really big sign, on the notice board in the kitchen.
It said that the Community kitchen will be closed December 16th to January 17th.
"MUM" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She always tells me "You can ask me anything, and I will give you one of four answers ".
"YES, NO , MAYBE or I WILL THINK ABOUT IT ".
So, I asked, with fingers crossed and using lots of my special power.
"No". "It's impossible". "We can't possibly afford it "."It's the school holidays"
and lots and lots of other reasons, why we couldn't.
I had to remind her again what she is ALWAYS telling me.
Focus on what you can do, and not on what you can't do.
Think about how it can be done, and not how it can't be done.
And that worked !!!!
So, we sat down and made a plan together. It was going to be hard, so we really had to think how it could be done !
The plan:
If we did what we did, on Saturday Nights, two more times a week, and making twice as much food, then everyone would have one to eat on the night, and one to take with them to eat the next day.
IT COULD BE DONE !
BUT ........ and there is always one of those with my mum !
Mum said If I was going to commit to doing this, I would have to miss out on doing some fun stuff in the school holidays, because of time, and especially money.
I had lots of time because it was the school holidays, and I had no school, and I had some extra money because it was sent to me for Xmas.
And if my mum and I gave each other a big hug on Christmas Day, instead of giving each other presents, we would have some more extra money.
We really really could do this, I just knew it .
Mum wasn't so sure, but we HAD to at least TRY. Didn't we ?
So, we started meeting everyone in the park Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights.
But by now, we had so many people coming, we had to change things.
So, instead of taking packed meals, we started taking big trays and pots of food, and putting them out on a table, and letting everyone help themselves.
And then we would pack a meal, in a plastic container for them to take with them.
For many it is the best meal they will have all week, and they look forward to it.
So we try to make it extra special and nice for everyone.
We put down tablecloths, take salt and pepper and sauces, and we also take jugs of cordial.
Fruit punch because everyone likes fruit punch.
It looks like a big, family reunion picnic every week.
And all the kids play together, playing kick ball, tag and chasings.
AFTER eating of course.
Sometimes the adults join in too, even old Peter, he hits the ball with his walking stick.
On Christmas Day there was somewhere to go for everyone, lots of nice Christmas lunches were given all around the Hawkesbury, by so many nice people and groups, but people need to eat EVERYDAY not just CHRISTMAS DAY !
We met everyone at the park Christmas Eve and Boxing Day too !
And we even were able to get some Christmas presents donated for Oscar who was living in his car with his mum Sue.
Santa Claus should come to all kids, no matter where they live !
We did this every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday night for a month, and then when the community kitchen opened up again, we went back to just Saturday nights.
Lots of people come every week. The youngest is 2 months old, and the oldest I think is 86. Some even fought in wars.
Some of the people who come, live in tents on the river, some in their cars and vans, some people in caravans and storage boxes, and I know one person that lives in the Grandstand. We take hot food to him some nights. And another who lives in a chicken coop, and some just sleep in the park !
Some do live in houses, but just don't have enough money to put food on their table.
One family from my school comes sometimes, but mum says I am not allowed to tell the other kids at school, because they might get teased.
Some people are embarrassed or ashamed, so I give them a big smile, and ask them their names.
I think it is important to be happy and smile, and say hello and ask them their names, to make them feel good and special, and not so alone.
And then I say.
" Help yourself, we have lots of food, and everyone is welcome here " .
Sometimes new people and families come and watch, and don't come over. I think because they feel uncomfortable, so I take food over to them and introduce myself. Then the next week they come over, because they know, we won't judge them or ask any questions.
Because if you are hungry, then you are welcome to come and have something to eat with us.
Sometimes people say "I don't have any money to give you ".
And we say " No money is needed, just an appetite ".
In EVERY community there is work to be done, and in EVERY heart there is the power to do it.
Because EVERYONE has a heart, and EVERYONE has the ability to make a difference.
You just need to focus on what you can do, and NOT on what you can't do.
And think about how it CAN be done, and not how it CAN'T be done.
Mother Teresa once said " If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one ".
And the man that I told you about before, who I saw going through our garbage bin looking for food long ago.
He comes every Saturday night, and he is a friend of mine. His name is Steve.
Steve and lots of others, now don't have to look in garbage bins for food, or go hungry on the weekends anymore.
And that makes me VERY happy !
Cassidy Strickland xx
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