MARONITES ON MISSION HELPING FEED THE HOMELESS

Canterbury League Club has donated approximately $40,000 each year to Maronites on Mission to help feed thousands of people since 2013.

Maronites on Mission Australia (MoM) is a local Punchbowl group of dedicated volunteers who reach out to marginalised members of our society to relieve some of their sufferings and provide some companionship.

“Our work currently includes services for the homeless to whom we provide food and clothing in designated places four days a week. In addition, we are not only providing groceries, but also providing emergency financial relief, support, and companionship for struggling families according to their needs,” said Charbel Azzi, Co-Founder of Maronites on Mission.

“This program assists an average of 70 families a month.”

However, with the outbreak of the pandemic, MoM encountered unexpected challenges; “We had to incur the cost of additional packaging and purchasing equipment to ensure that our volunteers are protected from the virus in the process of delivering food. On the other hand, our annual fundraiser was cancelled for two consecutive years, so we had to look to other income sources and using our reserves,” said Charbel.

On the last Thursday of each month, Canterbury’s chefs prepare high-quality hot meals, sandwiches, fruit, snacks, and drinks for up to 150 people. The meals are then transported in the custom food van donated by Canterbury to two locations in the Sydney CBD and distributed by Canterbury staff who volunteer their time to give back to the community.

“We are proud to work with the Maronites on Mission team,” said Peter Winchester, Chairman of Canterbury League Club. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see the relief that something as small as a warm meal can give someone. We get lots of feedback about how much everyone looks forward to their meal from Canterbury.”