Melbourne: Five Loaves Initiative continues to grow

Five Loaves Initiative continues to grow as young volunteers from across Melbourne make sandwiches to feed people experiencing food insecurity.

With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia the Five Loaves initiative continues with volunteers making 500 sandwiches to help feed those in need.

His Grace Bishop Kyriakos attended the event at Saints Constantine and Helen in South Yarra, Victoria together with more than 35 volunteers from across Melbourne to assist.

The event commenced with prayer from His Grace. He then spoke about how philanthropy is central to our Orthodox Christian duty.

In addition, the bishop commented that we are part of one body and that if one part of the body is suffering the whole body suffers. His comments highlight the plight of homeless people and those living in difficult situations who can’t afford to regularly feed themselves.

During the event, His Grace met and spoke with the volunteers and he thanked them for their help.

The sandwiches consisted of ham and cheese and cheese and vegemite.

All the ingredients were procured fresh and sourced from local suppliers.

The sandwiches were made in less than an hour and distributed on the next day across Melbourne to those in need.

Also last week from the kitchen of Saint Constantine and Helen our Five Loaves volunteers cooked up homemade penne bolognaise, garlic bread and raspberry and coconut slice which was bagged up with fruit, water and snacks. The meals were distributed to the homeless around South Yarra and St Kilda.

The excess meals were delivered to Launch Housing, the Southbank crisis accommodation centre. The staff was very appreciative as they have been experiencing a shortage of donated meals.

Many charity organisations and the people who staff them were hit hard by the pandemic. Volunteer numbers have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, hence the demand for social assistance and services like food support.

Five Loaves is seeking volunteers. To volunteer with cooking hot meals or sandwiches please register via the link: https://forms.gle/YyRp7ZL4jrFLrdncA

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