Asylum Seekers

Our congregation is privileged to provide assistance to the Asylum Seekers Centre, based in Newtown It is a haven which provides practical and personal support for people seeking asylum, and permitted temporary residence while their refugee claims are assessed.

Last year the Centre cared for more than 2,500 people including 725 children. The programme in which we participate, provides hot meals for the Centre’s clients each lunchtime during the week. For most families this is their one nutritious meal of the day. 

We have two roles in the programme which we call the “Mitzvah Lunch Group “.

1. Cooking and preparing a meal at our homes for about 30 to 35 people

2. Delivering to the Centre in Newtown and serving the meals to the clients.

Volunteers can prepare the meal and deliver it, or if you are working during the day, you could prepare a meal and other volunteers will deliver it. Similarly, if you are unable to cook and provide the meal but are able to serve, that would also be wonderful. Teams of three serve the meals.

You can volunteer as often or as irregularly as you like, at least once, in a six month period.

It may be a lovely opportunity to link up with friends and cook a meal for others in need, or come together with your friends to serve, meet and interact with the Centre’s clients. We are happy to provide recipes for meals.

We also deliver pre packaged meals from Our Big Kitchen for the clients to take home during the weekends when the Centre is closed. One of our volunteers collects the meals from OBK and delivers them to the Centre in Newtown either on Thursday or Friday. This is a weekly activity and anyone who could join the roster to deliver the meals would be wonderful.

If you are interested in helping with the Mitzvah Lunch Group or the delivery team just send an email to socialjustice@emanuel.org.au and Morris and Leigh, our co-ordinators will be in contact with you.

Thank you for helping us make a difference to the lives of others.