Community Meals

The Community Meals Program is the heart of ASRC and the place where asylum seekers, volunteers and staff at the centre gather each lunch time to enjoy a meal together. The Program provides an extremely nutritious hot meal every day, Monday to Friday, for around 100 people. For many asylum seekers, this is their main meal for the day, as well as an important place to make friends, have a chat and share stories.

Volunteer – Sally Clarke

Volunteer – Sally Clarke

“Just think of the comforting feeling of a full tummy when you're hungry. Well that's what many asylum seekers look forward to. Meeting this need is very satisfying and fun – working with other volunteers to make big pots of healthy food from an ever-changing variety of donated ingredients. And at 12.30 every day, nearly a hundred people all sit down together for some hearty fare.”

Asylum seeker - Uyen

Asylum seeker - Uyen

Uyen has been coming to the ASRC for over two years and can frequently be found in the kitchen cooking for other asylum seekers, volunteers and staff… whoever is around! She says: “Cooking is important for everyone to enjoy it here. I like cooking because it makes me happy and this is like my second home”

Donor Supporter - Catherine

Catherine regularly goes shopping and delivers food to the ASRC’s Community Meals Program. She says she does it because she likes to feel her contribution has a direct impact for desititute asylum seekers. ‘Ensuring people receive a healthy, hot meal every day is crucial not only for people to simply survive; it is also a great source of comfort and friendship that someone has taken the time to go shopping and prepare food for you. I don’t have the time to volunteer so this is the way I can be part of making that happen.’

 

What We Do

Last year the Community Meals Program provided over 20,000 hot lunches to asylum seekers, many of whom have no income and no access to food other than the ASRC. Through the amazing efforts of a team of nearly 20 volunteers and the generous food donations we receive the average cost of lunch for around 100 people is just $20.

Good nutrition and adequate food are basic human rights, essential to the wellbeing of asylum seekers. The benefits of the Community Meals Program extend even further than this, by providing a place for asylum seekers, volunteers, staff and visitors to the centre to gather and share their stories.

Asylum seekers regularly work with volunteers in the kitchen to help with meal preparation and cleaning up, sometimes coking dishes from their home countries to share with others. In this way, for many asylum seekers the Community Meals Program and the ASRC is truly a second home.