By Ethan Benedicto
Sunbeam Foundation held its annual Christmas charity dinner for the eighth year in a row on Saturday 2 December, intending to show people the true meaning of Christmas.
Held in the Foundation Learning Centre on Webb Street, the dinner had roughly 230 guests, 60 of which were children, attending between the hours of 4.30pm and 7pm.
Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Stephens, founder of Sunbeam, alongside her team of volunteers which mainly consisted of family and family friends, planned the event from the beginning of the year.
“This is one way of telling the world, this is what they should do.
“Christmas should be every day, but because it cannot be every day, you do it when you smile at somebody or when you go out of your way to help someone,” Mrs Stephens said.
Even with the bad weather, a line of roughly 30 or so guests had already begun to line up outside the centre, almost an hour before the scheduled time to start.
Sunbeam’s motto is ‘with love we labour for our neighbour’ and for Mrs Stephens and everyone involved, the dinner is not for recognition of their actions, but to give back to those less fortunate.
The catered food included scores of roasted chicken, sausages, vegetables such as carrots and broccoli, soups, mashed potatoes and desserts like panna cotta, cookies and cakes.
Tim Stephens, son of Mrs Stephens treasurer for the foundation said that planning for the event began months prior, sometimes even the whole year.
“My Mum does most of it, in terms of working out who the people are, going to different organisations, getting them on the list.
“Some of these people, even if you add them with a phone number, sometimes they can’t afford to pay the bill or have a phone, we lose their contact even though we want them to come,” Mr Stephens said.
Mrs Stephens spearheaded the whole process back when it first began in 2016 when 35 people gathered for the foundation’s first Christmas charity dinner.
“She’s 76 years old and she’s done this through the goodness of her heart, but it takes a lot of time and effort to be selfless.
“This is just one way she shows it, but throughout the whole year she’s always helping people,” Mr Stephens said.
Over time the event itself grew and garnered more attention through the efforts of Mrs Stephens herself, by contacting other charity organisations like the Salvation Army, Vincent de Paul (Vinnies) and churches.
“This brings us great joy, we ask for nothing in return, we’re just happy to do it.
“I’m just hoping that this will spread joy and move other people to help, even if they start with five people, they can do it in different places, in their neighbourhoods,” Mrs Stephens said.
Due to the number of people waiting, guests were welcomed to the centre slightly earlier, where one by one, families and individuals were guided to their tables and served hot pumpkin soup as a starter.
Pastor Jonathan Walker was also present at the event, giving a prayer of thanks and blessing for the food and people involved.
Shireen Pires, a close family friend and considered to be next in line to head the foundation echoed Mr Stephens’ words.
“There’s a lot of work behind the scenes, we have to keep going to soup kitchens inviting everybody, ensuring that guests are coming.
“As you can see, there’s a huge team here, and every single one puts 100 per cent of their effort,” Mrs Pires said.
Previous Christmas dinners were held at the St James Anglican Church hall in Dandenong, but as the number of people grew, so too did their capacity.
For Tim Stephens, the foundation is blessed to have such a well-connected network of family and family friends, who some, like Mrs Pires’ brother Gavin, run a factory called Easy Chef and have been working in the food industry for some time.
Mental planning of the event began at the start of the year and by September the foundation began inviting guests at soup kitchens and through the other avenues mentioned before.
“This is for God’s glory, we are not doing it to get thanks, we are not doing it for them to think that we are really good people.
“We are doing it to spread love and light at Christmas,” Mrs Pires said.
Elizabeth Stephens has been involved in charity events throughout India for the last 40 or so years, and Sunbeam Foundation is her centrepiece for that charity in Melbourne.
Unfortunately, she currently suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, making this her last year as head of the event.
The recent event operated with minimal donations, and the majority of the foods and all of the presents were sourced by the foundation themselves.
“If there is no labour there is no point in doing it, you have to be involved, you have to feel it to do something.
“If you were a billionaire and you come with your posh car, you’re invited, because you can afford to buy the best meal outside but you chose to come and share our meal.
“Everyone is welcome, but mostly it is for the less fortunate, nothing should just be for yourselves,” Mrs Stephens said.
