By Danielle Kutchel
There are streamers and celebratory signs on an unassuming door in Webb Street – someone, or something, is having a birthday.
Warmth and noise spills out of the small building, the sounds of a lively party. Transit is turning 10, and everyone is invited.
It’s not just physical warmth either; the love of a grateful community is palpable as guests jostle for the best spot by their friends, sharing slices of cake and regaling each other with the day’s stories.
There are about 100 people here, Reverend Keith Vethaak says proudly – a testament to Transit’s place in the community.
Ten years’ ago, he saw hunger and need in the City of Casey. Cornerstone Drop-in Centre in Dandenong had become overwhelmed by demand from people outside their area, he explains, so they asked Narre Warren Christian Church, where Rev Vethaak is Pastor, to establish a service there.
“It just grew,” he explains.
“The first Wednesday, we only had about 12 people turn up. Now, we usually get 100 for each session.”
Transit provides groceries and meals for those in the community who are doing it tough. On Monday nights, a free three course meal is served at 5pm; groceries are available from 6pm, as well as laundry and shower vans, and Centrelink staff on the 2nd and 4th weeks from 3pm.
On Wednesdays, a three course lunch is served at noon, with groceries available at 1pm. On Thursday afternoons Transit provides food support for parents of school-aged children, and there’s breakfast at 9.30am on the last Sunday of every month.
Nearly 1200 people are registered to pick up food from Transit every week.
Transit also provides support in other ways.
“We felt as Christians that we wanted to feed people, we wanted to help people, clothe people, provide baby bundles to new mothers, provide support to refugees, whoever comes our way. We don’t discriminate against anyone, anyone is welcome to come, anyone is welcome to volunteer,” Rev Vethaak says.
Volunteers keep the place going, cooking food and helping with the grocery distribution, when the small building is transformed into a miniature supermarket complete with a dairy section and a swag of fresh fruit and vegetables.
There are around 110 volunteers, many of them previously clients of Transit.
“They get a lot of dignity because they’re not just receiving charity, but they’re actually giving,” Rev Vethaak says.
Sue Hall is one of those who has come full circle with Transit.
She’s been coming to Transit for around 18 months now, and volunteering for just over a year.
“They help us out when we are in crisis,” she says, “There had been a death in the family and everyone ended up living in my house for nearly six months. It was really hard, and if it hadn’t been for Pastor Keith, I don’t think we would’ve survived.”
She says the place is a lifesaver for many like her.
“There were over 100 people here on Monday – you couldn’t take a step without walking into somebody! It just shows you how many people do it really hard, it’s not easy for a lot of people out there.”
She volunteers now to give back to the community that has given her so much.
“It’s full of the most caring, loving people that can’t do enough for you. There’s no judging, you’re not judged at all by anybody. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or your background, they accept everybody for who you are.”
Transit sees a variety of people come through its doors, from pensioners to the homeless to overrun young families, all of them struggling to make ends meet.
“There are a lot of people out there who … when rent time comes around or mortgage time comes around, haven’t got enough to put food on the table. The huge cost of housing is a big issue,” Rev Vethaak says.
“The guys that are living in the caravan park, and we’ve got several of them here, they’re paying $240 a week for a caravan, but Newstart is only $270 a week and they might get a little bit of housing allowance. So they’ve got less than $100 a week to live on – you can’t live on $100 a week.
“We have pensioners that are a couple living together, pay their rent; their husband or wife dies and all of a sudden their pension is almost cut in half and they can’t pay the rent anymore. We have quite a few of those, and it’s very, very difficult,” he says.
Part of what has helped Transit keep up with demand is support from the wider community, he explains.
Food is provided by Foodbank, Oz Harvest, Second Bite and big supermarkets as well as some farms in the area.
“We’re picking up tonnes of food every week. There’s no waste,” Rev Vethaak says.
Elizabeth Coteman has been a client of Transit for about two years and says the organisation’s support has made a big difference in her life and that of her housemate.
“We both suffer from mental illness and we are both living on disability pensions so this is a godsend. Having the opportunity to get things like fresh bread, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, tinned foods… They offer things like sanitary pads and paper towels, things that you use every day, the necessities that add up in cost.
“Being on the disability pension you don’t have a lot to spend especially with the cost of meds and the cost of travel to appointments.
“It’s also a bit of a social event, it gets me out of the house once a week and I get to come and meet people. They’re really friendly people … they know you by name, it makes you feel really welcome,” she says.
