Providing meals after dark for the homeless and less fortunate is the aim of the region’s SoupBus, which is run by the OnTrack Foundation.
And with help from the local restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and now Goodstart Ballarat Creswick Road, that goal is being achieved.
The centre has taken up a food donation drive with parents already donating two boxes of dry goods including pasta and cans of vegetables. Five nights a week, these ingredients are used by the Ballarat community to create meals for the SoupBus to distribute free of charge from the Ballarat Senior Citizens.
The OnTrack Foundation runs the bus with the intention of creating a dignified and respectful interaction with people who are in need in the community.
Ballarat Creswick Road lead educator Pam McLean took up the cause after seeing the bus around town and having great respect for what its founders had set out to do.
“We really wanted to make some greater connections in our community, and teach the children at the centre that not everyone is as lucky as we are,” Ms McLean said.
“So we put the call out for donations and sent out a list of the items most needed. We’ve managed to collect two full boxes of items for the bus and there are more coming in.”
Ms McLean is hoping the SoupBus will make a trip to the centre to collect the donations so that the children see it and explore the inside.
“Were really pleased with the response we’ve had from families so far, and we’re looking forward to hopefully continuing to help out the OnTrack Foundation and the SoupBus.”
And with help from the local restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and now Goodstart Ballarat Creswick Road, that goal is being achieved.
The centre has taken up a food donation drive with parents already donating two boxes of dry goods including pasta and cans of vegetables. Five nights a week, these ingredients are used by the Ballarat community to create meals for the SoupBus to distribute free of charge from the Ballarat Senior Citizens.
The OnTrack Foundation runs the bus with the intention of creating a dignified and respectful interaction with people who are in need in the community.
Ballarat Creswick Road lead educator Pam McLean took up the cause after seeing the bus around town and having great respect for what its founders had set out to do.
“We really wanted to make some greater connections in our community, and teach the children at the centre that not everyone is as lucky as we are,” Ms McLean said.
“So we put the call out for donations and sent out a list of the items most needed. We’ve managed to collect two full boxes of items for the bus and there are more coming in.”
Ms McLean is hoping the SoupBus will make a trip to the centre to collect the donations so that the children see it and explore the inside.
“Were really pleased with the response we’ve had from families so far, and we’re looking forward to hopefully continuing to help out the OnTrack Foundation and the SoupBus.”