The Open Kitchen

Mr GREG PIPER (Lake Macquarie)—Food for the soul can be just as important as nourishment for the body and I would like to recognise the efforts of an amazing team of volunteers who are providing the Lake Macquarie community with both. Twice a month, The Open Kitchen team led by its founders Kylie Stacey, Bruna Tawake and Michelle Villis and supported by volunteers Garry Duncan, Brenton Stacey, Gina Lemke, Lazio Crescenti and Allan Dalton, open the doors to Morisset Uniting Church to those in need of a hot meal and a safe space to share it in. The Open Kitchen's founders say the idea for the service was born out of their desire to do something meaningful in the community to help improve lives, and to use their love of food and connecting with people to do it. The team feeds anywhere between 40 to 80 people each night they are open and unlike many other organisations they don't just feed the homeless or those in a dire financial situation, they also invite people who are lonely or who would like emotional support as well as dinner. I thank The Open Kitchen for their wonderful care of our vulnerable community members.