THE VENUE

About the Community Kitchen:

The Community Kitchen provides a free meal every Tuesday night for those in need.  All are welcome to share the meal and conversation with new friends.  Food is also given to take home by those who need it.

The kitchen and its volunteers come from diverse situations including  those with addictions and/or mental health issues, those with disabilities, refuges,  the lonely, and those living dysfunctional lives.  It has been operating for over 6 years and is a place where people find respect, dignity, nourishment, friendship, and a sense of belonging. Importantly, it receives NO formal or regular funding and relies on the generosity of the broader business community and individuals. It is an independent,

 unincorporated entity run by community members with free use of Merewether Uniting Church hall.

Some comments from the kitchen community:

“Here is the only safe place I can meet my sister and our kids can play with each other and have dinner. If I couldn’t come here my kids would never see their cousins.”

 ...“Volunteering here each week is fun. I’ve made friends and have something to do. I’ve learnt that volunteering and belonging make me feel better.”

 ...“I work in research, results take years to achieve. Here I see results every week.”

...I don’t have enough food at home but I come for the company as much as the food. This is the only time in my week when I have others to sit with for a meal.”

Meet the Co-ordinator ~ Jennifer Burns

Jennifer Burns has co-ordinated The Community Kitchen Merewether for the last 2 years. She has had a lifelong commitment to social justice and working with people who do not have enough... demonstrated by her background -  employment as a nurse and midwife, involvement with Amnesty, co-ordinating settlement of Sudanese refugees and volunteering abroad. In recent years Jennifer trained with the Uniting Church and is now the minister at Merewether Uniting Church where her enthusiasm for enabling fullness of life for all people has encouraged The Community Kitchen Merewether to expand. In this time the volunteer base has grown, attendees have found a place of belonging, a flourishing community garden has been established and a homework group for children has commenced. The children’s school has commented to parents that their ability to concentrate and literary skills are improving.

Jennifer says “We are all people and all people are equal but this is not the lived experience of many. I am passionate about reducing that gap and every week this is what The Community Kitchen Merewether does. It makes a positive difference in people’s lives each week, the lives of volunteers, those who attend and mine! It is about so much more than food. Upgrading the kitchen will enable this service to continue to provide food, companionship, encouragement and support to the most needy in Newcastle. This is what life and community are about.”