IT’S cold outside, and the perfect time to think about how the community can help others to stay warm, dry, and fed.
Mornington Community Support Centre’s annual winter appeal has started with a target of $75000. The winter appeal, the support group’s major money-raising campaign of the year, will feature an event at Commonfolk Cafe in Progress Street, Mornington on Friday 21 June.
This year MPCS is highlighting its Fresh Food Program partners – SecondBite, OZHarvest and Food for Change, who deliver fresh food each week that is either collected by people in need in the community or used to provide meals in the supports group’s cafe.
“We’ll have a couple of big woks going on the night with some celebrity chefs – SecondBite founder Simone Carson, food writer and broadcaster Richard Cornish and Torello Farm’s Sophie O’Neil – cooking up a mystery meal from food delivered on the day,” the centre’s relationship manager Tracee Hutchison said.
“I’m MC’ing, there’ll be some live music from local singer songwriter Hazel [aka Heidi Louise], we’ll also screen a short film about our crisis accommodation facility The Ranch and hold a silent auction.” There will also be a question and answer session from the centre’s CEO Ben Smith. Guests will be served canapes and local produce on grazing tables on arrival, and apart from live music there will be a DJ.
Smith says the event will pay for programs at the centre, including financial support, crisis accommodation, referrals and counselling, and the Meeting Room Cafe where everything is free or by donation. “We’re thrilled with the support of our Fresh Food Program partners and have Richard, Simone and Sophie on the tools at the big woks, putting the fun into the fundraising on the night. We’re so proud of what we do at MCSC,” Smith said.
“We turn every dollar donated into $3 worth of emergency relief, so that anyone experiencing hardship has somewhere to turn. We can only do what we do with the financial and in-kind support of our local community.”
Tickets are $75 and all proceeds will help Mornington Community Support Centre’s work in the community.
For more details go to: mcsc.au
The centre is one of three support centres on the Mornington Peninsula that provides services for anyone experiencing hardship “to help make their hard times a little easier”.
The centre at 320 Main Street, Mornington, opens 9.30am to 4pm Monday to Friday.
First published in the Mornington News – 21st May 2024
