College offers free meals to needy
WATCH out Maccas, Aquinas College has you in its sights tonight as it offers up 100 free drive-through meals to Gold Coasters experiencing hardship, homelessness and poverty.
Dubbed Friday Free Feedz, from 3.30-5pm meals can be collected using the school’s drive-through zone in Keith Turnball Dve, Ashmore.
The brainchild of assistant principal Joe Alexander, the initiative replaces the college’s annual sleep-out to raise money and blankets for the city’s homeless.
“We have decided to support individuals and families in our college and local community who might be doing it tough, or know someone who is doing it tough, by supplying free warm meals to anyone over a series of Friday afternoons,” he said.
“Our homeless brothers and sisters in Southport have been doing it particularly tough as many organisations have had to stop their operations as a result of COVID-19,” he said.
With a lack of students on campus, tuckshop staff have taken up the slack and prepared the meals using ingredients and food supplied by teachers and support staff and the college community.
Mr Alexander said confidentiality was assured and people could collect meals for themselves, an elderly person or someone they knew who was experiencing financial hardship.
“It could be that a family just needs a rest from the challenges of learning at home for two weeks and needs a convenient meal for the family. It could also be that someone is a nurse, doctor, emergency worker, supermarket worker, or cleaner and has been working very hard,’’ he said.
“All are welcome and encouraged. No questions asked, just tell us how many you need.”
If demand exceeded supply, Mr Alexandra said extra meals would be made for the following Friday, May 15.