Community kitchen to move shop
BY JULY 1, homeless and hungry people will have a safe, dry place to get a meal, have a shower and do some laundry seven nights a week, with the volunteers at Tony’s Community Kitchen preparing to open the doors at their new headquarters.
The building at 174A James Street is just a short walk from where the soup kitchen volunteers have handed out hot meals for the past year, behind the Settlers Inn.
“In Easter we were averaging 25 meals a night; we currently average 75 and up to 100 some nights,” kitchen manager Jo Noonan said.
Founder Tony Hurle said the new space would help restore dignity to people sleeping rough on Toowoomba’s streets.
“With all that rain we had lately, we had people waiting in line for a meal while soaking wet,” he said.
The team only secured the keys to the new site at the weekend and has some work to do before they are ready to serve meals.
But already they are planning to expand. Tony’s Kitchen will now provide undercover dining, laundry services and a place to shower, seven days a week when the new office opens in July.
Unlike the old site, the new building has running water, a shower, toilets, a rubbish service and several meeting rooms and offices.
Importantly it has one large area for undercover dining.
“We will be able to offer other connection services including TASC, the Housing Hub and once a month our friends can have a haircut and massage,” Mr Hurles said.
TO VOLUNTEER, SEARCH FOR TONY’S COMMUNITY KITCHEN ON FACEBOOK.