AN anonymous donation will ensure Ulladulla’s homeless remain warm and dry over the coming winter months.
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The Ulladulla Soup Kitchen, which provides hot meals to homeless and lonely people in the area every Tuesday night, received a surprise donation of 20 Street Swags this month.
Soup Kitchen secretary Selena Gardiner said the swags were a welcome donation that would ensure people sleeping on the streets or in parks were kept warm and dry over winter.
She said 10 swags would be given to people who were most in need in Ulladulla, while another 10 would go to the Batemans Bay Soup Kitchen.
The thick green canvas swags are waterproof, lightweight and will keep users warm.
“It is important for people to remain warm and dry if they have nowhere to sleep over winter,” Selena said.
“These swags are fantastic and we are really grateful for the donation.”
The Times spoke to the donor, a local businessman, who wanted to remain anonymous.
He said he had seen the swags used in Sydney and thought they would be great for local soup kitchen clients.
He said his children “took a cut” in Christmas presents so the family could purchase the 20 swags from the makers in Queensland.
“The kids felt good about helping people,” he said.
“When you’re lying in bed a night, warm and dry, and it’s cold and wet outside, it makes you feel a bit guilty about those people that have nowhere to go.”
Selena said the swags would reduce the chance of homeless people becoming wet, cold and sick.
She said the soup kitchen also had a supply of warm clothing that it distributed to people in need.
“If we see someone that is wet and we know they don’t have a change of clothes, we’ll give them a jacket, gloves or blanket to keep them warm.”
The soup kitchen recently received a $2,500 cash donation from the Ulladulla ExServos bingo players which will help provide hot meals to homeless and lonely people in the area.
The service also raised $1,200 via a recent garage sale.
Selena said having money in the bank meant the service might soon expand to provide meals two nights per week for its 20 plus recipients at Ulladulla Harbour.
It currently operates every Tuesday evening from 5pm until 6.30pm, but is likely to commence a second night before winter – either Thursday or Friday night.
The meals are all cooked by volunteers and distributed to “whoever turns up” to the soup kitchen.
“We always have a hot meal, such as stews, soup, lasagna, curries or casserole, served with bread, juice, fresh fruit and a homemade desert,” Selena said.
“For some, this is the only decent hot meal they have all week.”
She said the kitchen was running short of warm clothing, including tracksuit pants, jackets, scarves, beanies and gloves for men, women and children, as well as blankets which were also offered to those in need.
Anyone with goods to offer or who would like to help prepare or serve meals, should pop down to the van at Ulladulla Harbour, near the large slip, and see Selena on any Tuesday night from 5pm.
She said the kitchen was also collecting books, CDs and DVDs for a coming book sale to add to the coffers.