By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
MOVED by the people struggling in earthquake-ruined Nepal, Narre Warren’s own struggling families and homeless gave whatever they had to the World Vision appeal at the Narre Warren soup kitchen.
Reverend Keith Vethaak of the Narre Warren Christian Church said he was absolutely amazed.
“Homeless people pulled out 50 cents or a dollar, some gave $5,” he said.
Transit soup kitchen has been operating at the Narre Warren Christian Church for six years, and Rev Vethaak said this was the first time the hat had been passed around the guests, to give for a cause.
“It was my idea to pass the hat around, I could see they were really quite moved, volunteers have donated before but not the guests. I said let’s pass the hat around and they were really keen,” he said.
Rev Vethaak said just about everyone in attendance on Wednesday 6 May gave a little bit of money.
“To me, it is quite astonishing, some are homeless, some are sleeping rough or in cars, some are boarding in houses or at caravan parks or couch surfing but our biggest proportion is single mums and families and victims of domestic violence,” he said.
The soup kitchen passed the hat around again On Monday 11 May and has raised $207 for the Nepal World Vision earthquake appeal.
“We raised nearly $80 on Wednesday night and raised another $20 on Thursday, a percentage of them are broke and just don’t have anything, it was a really big thing for them to give, a dollar means a lot when you don’t have much,” Rev Vethaak said.
The Narre Warren Transit soup kitchen currently distributes more than $10,000 worth of food per week and feeds 80 to 100 guests three nights a week. Reverend Vethaak said he heard a guest discussing the wage of World Vision CEO Tim Costello on Wednesday night before it all started.
“He said he was paid a huge salary and I shared with them that it’s not true, that Mr Costello gives 100 per cent of his wage back to World Vision as he makes his living through speaking, and once I said that they realised and were more than happy to give,” Rev Vethaak said.
The soup kitchen has grown tremendously over the six years, Rev Vethaak said they started with 12 guests and by the end of the first year were up to 40.
“Two months ago I counted and it came to 1100 individuals we are supplying food to every week,” he said.
Narre Warren resident of 20 years, Rev Vethaak said everyone was really moved by the situation.
“It was very generous; everyone dug in and gave their 20 cents or some might have had a dollar in their pocket, I was amazed at how much came in.”
