Taree Community Kitchen welcomes local St Clare’s students each week
Following it's opening in late 2016, the CatholicCare Taree Community Kitchen has continued to provide fresh home cooked meals five days a week to the people of the local community.
Now, in partnership with St Clare's Taree, Year 10 students are volunteering each week in the kitchen – providing them with valuable community service skills and opportunities to interact with the local Taree community.
Acting Director of CatholicCare Social Services Hunter-Manning, Gary Christensen, says the Taree Community Kitchen is here to stay:
"After officially opening late last year, we're committed to continuing the kitchen into the future, as a key community outreach service to the people of Taree."
"We're so pleased to have St Clare's students involved each week, cooking and serving meals to locals. With the ongoing support from the school the kitchen is able to open to the community each week, providing ongoing and consistent support services to locals of Taree."
"The Taree Community Kitchen is more than just providing meals to the community, it's also about offering support and services to those who may need it most, but don't know where to start," Mr Christensen said.
St Clare's Principal, Peter Nicholls, says the values taught through volunteering are key to students of St Clare's:
"Volunteering to assist others takes people 'out of themselves', encourages active citizenship and makes a valuable contribution to Taree's community spirit and the lives of people in need."
"Our young people and their teachers are very excited to be involved in a service that 'welcomes the stranger' and ensures that our neighbours are treated with dignity and respect. We want our young people to be the change they want to see in the world."
"The community kitchen offers our Year 10s the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and be compassionate, inclusive and willing to meet the needs of others, no matter who they are and where they live," said Mr Nicholls.
The Taree Community Kitchen is open Monday to Friday from noon to 1pm and offers nutritious, home cooked meals, as well as support and a friendly face to the local Taree community.
The Kitchen always welcomes additional support. To register your interest in becoming a volunteer or donor to the Taree Community Kitchen please contact CatholicCare on (02) 6539 5900.
