Church’s free meals fill a growing need

The soup kitchen at Porirua’s Elim Church has been operating only a short time but organisers say it is obvious there is a need for it.

The church, in Heriot Dr, set up the lunchtime meals four weeks ago.

Food is served every Wednesday from noon till 2pm, and the number of diners has grown from 20 to 40.

A three-course meal is available, with soup, bread rolls, a main and dessert, all free.

The food is prepared on-site by about 10 church members, some of whom have professional food training.

Co-organiser Tai Roach says they can cater for up to 100 people, having borrowed the idea from the Salvation Army and a similar scheme in South Auckland.

The Porirua branch of the Salvation Army has donated food to help.

‘‘We don’t want to compete with other meals that are being offered, this is just about helping people in the community get a decent meal. Word-of-mouth has seen good numbers, but we can feed a lot more, we want this to build.

‘‘So far we’ve had really positive feedback, so we can see the need is there, people are really struggling and this is a way to take a little bit of stress off.’’

Ms Roach says the Wednesday meal is as much about socialising, for the people who prepare the food and those that come to eat.

All of the diners Kapi-Mana News talked to spoke in glowing terms about the food prepared and the friendly banter from church members.

One man said it was the first three-course meal he had ever had.

All are welcome.