PEEL Community Kitchen volunteers and Alcoa employees served the first batch of egg and bacon sandwiches to people in need on Monday morning with the use of their new community barbecue trailer.
The unique trailer was a result of a $15,000 donation made to the kitchen from Personnel Employed at Alcoa Charity Help (PEACH) and is a way for the charity to raise funds rather than relying on donations.
“As an un-funded organisation, we have been totally reliant on donations but now we have this trailer we can actively raise funds through sausage sizzles,” Peel Community Kitchen co-ordinator Veronique Derschow said.
“Also, because the trailer is completely mobile, we can reach out further into the community and raise awareness of our service by being involved in local community events like Crab Fest.”
The Peel Community Kitchen provides food, social companionship and support to those in need within the Peel region.
The kitchen was started in July 2009 by a group of local community members who wanted to form a community cafe offering hot meals and social companionship to those in need.
The kitchen now has more than 200 people a week; a demand the trailer will help with.
Sue Breen, Alcoa employee and PEACH administrator, attended the barbecue and said she was humbled to see how the donation had already started to benefit the community.
“This is one of the largest single donations we have given to one organisation and it is a very worthy cause,” she said.
“It has been a great pleasure to be involved with this project and I am sure the people who donated funds through PEACH feel privileged to have the opportunity to help.”
