ULTIMO: Woolly blankets, hot soup, a “pop-up” op shop and volunteer vets, UnitingCare’s first Souptember event was launched at the UnitingCare Harris Community Centre with glorious weather on Sunday September 15.
Rose Teuma, Manager of UnitingCare’s Harris Centre, explains the Souptember concept: “UnitingCare’s Harris Centre is here to meet community needs and support the most vulnerable and disadvantaged here in the local community. Over the last couple of months we have been talking to people who use the centre, who pop in and have a chat, and we have noticed an increasing need for some basic support.
“We wanted to find a way to engage some of the more isolated members of the local community and also to provide some much needed services. We had been working with the great team at Kids Giving Back and so when we talked through the idea with them, they jumped at the idea of cooking lunch.”
Over 30 kids and their parents got together and cooked wonderful soups as part of the Cook for Good program. Despite the beautiful weather, the hot soups went down a treat with visitors.
A welcome guest at Souptember was Sam Kovac, a vet from Project HoPe who visited the centre and treated animals but also visited some homeless clients who could not bring their animals with them. Ms Teuma said: “We know that one of the things people need but often cannot access due to costs is veterinary services. Again, thanks to the connections of the Kids Giving Back team, Sam Kovac from Project HoPe offered to come along. Sam was a huge hit with visitors and really helped out.”
A “pop-up” op shop with second-hand clothing was a huge success. The shop was run in conjunction with the congregation from Mustard Seed Uniting Church. Thanks to the incredible donations from not-for-profit organisation, Thread Together, who donated piles of new clothing for Souptember’s clothing drive.
Ms Teuma said: “The Harris Centre and Mustard Seed Church are proud of their history working in the Pyrmont and Ultimo area. We are excited that the partnership with the kids and parents from Kids Giving Back has offered us an opportunity to do more. This Centre has always been about helping those most in need. Over the coming months we will be working with other key partners to see what other ideas are out there.”
