Kathy and Peter Bray are two Glenorie locals who recently initiated a food truck project, which will play a crucial role in supporting the growing homeless and disadvantaged population of the Hills.
Kenthurst Rotary, part of District 9685, is a notfor- profit club that has recognised the need for a food van to feed the disadvantaged members of our community.
With Hills Community Aid reporting a 41% rise in requests for homeless assistance in 2024, this van will be essential in delivering hot meals, including sausage sizzles, along with blankets. Once the project has grown, other crucial resources will be available to those in need, ranging from homelessness and domestic violence support.
President of Kenthurst Rotary Club Kathy Bray was inspired to initiate this project alongside her husband Peter Bray after her experience at the Hills Winter Sleepout:
“After listening to statistics from speakers at The Hills Winter Sleepout and anti-domestic violence dinners, it was a no-brainer to do something to help those less fortunate. What better way to get involved than by providing nourishment, support and hope to those directly in need.
After conducting due diligence by speaking with others working in this space at Hawkesbury Helping Hands, Hills Community Aid and The Salvation Army – our project was born. Homelessness isn’t a choice but a journey many find themselves on.
Peter Bray, a long-standing Rotarian of 21 years and former club President, is equally as passionate about eradicating homelessness in the Hills. As the Project Manager for the Kenthurst Food Van Initiative, he spoke to me about why the club believed in the mission.
“Our inspiration came from watching the wonderful work of Linda Strickland at Hawkesbury’s Helping Hands and Mici Beer at Hills Community Aid”.
“With one of the highest levels of mortgage stress in Australia, we realised there was a need to create something in the Hills for people living rough, where they can get a cup of coffee or something to eat. We plan to start off once a week with our services and build up from there.”
In September this year, Bendigo Bank generously donated $35,000 to help the club purchase a food van, presenting the cheque during the Kenthurst Fair. The 4-metre van has since been fully installed and ready to go, with $5,000 hotplates courtesy of Nisbets Catering Supplies. It will be unveiled at John Benyon Rotary Park, with free sausage sizzles offered to lucky locals on Saturday the 21st, from 9am to 11am.
The food van initiative is still in its early stages, but Kenthurst Rotary is also exploring other projects, such as clothing donations and the ‘Teacher in a Box’ program, which uploads schoolcurriculums and textbooks onto a hard drive, enabling students to study without internet access. The club is also reaching out to Galston High School to feed their students on a monthly basis, especially for disadvantaged students who often go without hot breakfasts and lunches.
However, Kenthurst Rotary Club is still searching for a suitable warehouse to store extra supplies, as Peter calls on the community to help:
“We are still hoping Council will give us a place to work, preferably in Castle Hill, even though it’s prime display. We need a space to offer some privacy for our vulnerable clients. At the moment, we are storing our van at Rotarian’s sheds in Kenthurst, but we need a place to store our donations especially as we expand our services”.
The club welcomes donations through their GoFundMe page, ‘Making a Difference in the Hills Shire,’ to help support the supplies needed for delivering hot food.
Kenthurst Rotary Club is also eager to welcome new members, with meetings held every Monday evening at 7pm at Uniting Hall, 116B Kenthurst Road. You can follow project updates on their Facebook page: ‘Rotary Club of Kenthurst,’ or contact them via email at [email protected].
