AU – Sutherland Homeless Benefit from Breakfast from ORANA & RRT
On June 23rd 2015, RRT Engadine worked alongside the great team of volunteers under ORANA, a division of the Sutherland Shire Council, not far from Sydney NSW. The ORANA team is headed up by Elizabeth O’Neil, who has held this position for over 15 years. Every Tuesday morning Elizabeth and her team work together to provide a very much needed meal and social interaction in their rooms in Stapleton Street Sutherland.
The RRT team of 7 were on-site early on this fresh morning, to set up the required equipment in view of serving a hot breakfast to the regular attendees, generally 50 – 60 needy persons.
Official opening time is 9.30am, yet due to the fact it was such a cold morning, attendees were given access to building earlier than this. By 9.30am a small crowd were ready to enjoy the much needed hot breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage and hash browns, all freshly cooked onsite.
The RRT team members found it a truly humbling experience, to stop and talk to these people in need, from many and varied backgrounds, yet every one of them so happy and thankful for this gesture. More than 6 individuals took the time to walk outside the venue to where BBQs were in action, to personally thank the RRT volunteers for the hot breakfast.
As a result of such a successful operation, RRT and ORANA are seeking to schedule these breakfasts 4 times per year, such is the commitment of all involved.
Once cleaned up, (no small task) RRT then spoke again to all the ORANA team. Below is a comment from Elizabeth –
“A fantastic partnership between our organisation, Orana and the Engadine Rapid Relief Team has seen us being able to provide hot breakfasts to disadvantaged and otherwise socially isolated residents of the Sutherland Shire. The Rapid Relief team provide and cook an amazing meal for our clients some of who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, up to 4 times a year at our weekly breakfast program. Rapid Relief is a fantastic organisation supported by amazing volunteers and we look forward to a long and happy working partnership with them.”
