A Sunbury disability services and support organisation has teamed up with the Sunbury Winter Night Shelter to provide meals for those in need.
Distinctive Options in Sunbury runs a Master Chef program with about 11 participants to cook warm and nutritious food for those in the shelter.
Support worker Milly Minnette said the program started this year, and they wanted to increase the community focus in the third term.
“For the first two terms we put on events, where they worked towards having their families for a three-course sit down dinner which they prepared,” Ms Minnette said.
“This term we have decided to do more of a community focus and so we are working with the winter shelter to help prepare food.
“[We are] trying to cook warm and nutritious food … [like] pasta bakes, sausage rolls … the first week we made a savoury muffin.”
Ms Minnette said the program has helped to connect the participants with the community and push them outside their comfort zone.
“We went down and had a chat with the shelter to find out a bit about them and what they do, how they run and to see the impact of what they do,” she said.
“It’s good for them with social participation and doing events with people outside of their [family] and for their community.
“I think it’s been an eye opener to just hear the stories of who is coming to the shelter. It’s been hard for them to get their head around and that people do go without food, and a shower and shelter.
“We talk about the importance of being with the community and making the community a better place.”
Zoe Moffatt
