Treats add to charity
Along with a bargain, customers at Porirua’s Society of St Vincent de Paul’s are receiving a tasty treat courtesy of student helpers.
As part of an ongoing programme, a handful of Vinnies – the society’s youth arm, who help people in need through voluntary community work – have been turning up to the charity shop on Mungavin Ave every week. There, they make Anzac biscuits and hand them out to customers.
The biscuits’ recipe is also free to take away.
‘‘ What we want to do is encourage home baking,’’ says Vinnies Porirua co-ordinator Doris Scott-rodriguez.
‘‘It’s about passing on knowledge and empowering people to help themselves. It perfectly follows the St Vincent de Paul motto of ‘see, reflect and act’. The kids are seeing the benefits of what they are doing, raising their awareness and hopefully they reflect on what they see in their community.’’
The recipe they are following has oats, which are good for cholesterol and sesame seeds, high in calcium.
Fifty year 6 students from St Theresa’s School and Holy Family School are involved in the Vinnies programme, which runs across all four terms. They help out in the foodbank and will make soup for customers during the winter months. Vinnies is part of an initiative that has been running nationwide.
Ms Rodriguez- Scott says along with helping people, making Anzac biscuits they also follow the school curriculum of using science and maths.
Store manager Kerry Atkinson says the customers love seeing the kids and sampling the biscuits. She hopes it will have give people the impetus to cook healthy food for themselves or family.