DARA's Van in Mayfield | Community organisation

DARA's Van

Locality: Mayfield

Phone: +61 2 4979 1339

Address: 50 Crebert St 2304 Mayfield, NSW, Australia

Website: http://dara.org.au/donate

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• Non-profit organisation
• Charitable organisation
• Community organisation

25.01.2022 ! Summer is one of nine young people who joined our 2020 diocesan Pastoral Placement Program. This program allows individuals to spend 12 months discovering the broad opportunities for ministry within our Diocese. Working alongside DARA’s volunteers at Maitland, Summer reflected on the opportunity as one that helped her to appreciate things taken for granted. ... This weekly community kitchen is run by volunteers who selflessly give up their Friday night to support and subsequently empower vulnerable people in the local community. said Summer. Chatting to the locals was an eye-opening experience to the reality that some individuals live with.

25.01.2022 Bridging social distance. Rank and file members of the Maritime Union of Australia - Newcastle Branch recently dug deep, despite facing their own economic uncertainty, and collected $16,500 to support their local community doing it tough. Of the $16,500, DARA was given $3,000 to help feed people during the coronavirus lockdowns, enough to provide 1000 meals to those in need.... On behalf of our team, and particularly those we serve, DARA is greatly appreciative of this tremendous community support. This donation will enable our work to continue as the demand continues to grow. .

24.01.2022 Meet Johanna Soo, one of DARA’s wonderful volunteers! Described as generous, bubbly and kind, Jo has been ‘changing communities and changing lives’ since 2018. As our homeless food programs have continued to grow with new services, Jo has also widened her impact by sharing her time between two of our services, Woodberry Community Breakfast and the Islington Van. ... Jo and our team of volunteers are the epitome of generosity and community spirit. Without them, the good works of DARA would not be possible. #NVW2020

24.01.2022 ' ! No matter where you come from, where you are going, what food you have on your table, what language you speak, this year's National Reconciliation Week, DARA are #ALLINTHISTOGETHER. A theme resonating in ways we could not have foreseen, reminds us whether in a crisis or in a journey towards a fully reconciled country, we all have a role to play.

22.01.2022 The term modern slavery has come into vogue an umbrella term for human trafficking and slavery-like practices such as servitude, forced labour and forced marriage. Australia is primarily a destination country for people trafficked from Asia. But Australia has also become a refuge for those escaping slavery-like practices. Afghan refugee, 21-year-old Sina* endured trying conditions in a textile factory in Iran.... Sina’s situation was desperate. Eight years after registering with the UNHCR Sina and his family of eight arrived on 26 June 2019. The family are now happily settled in Newcastle. Engaging with DARA’s Refugee Hub service, Sina has started an open foundation course at UoN with the hope to study a bachelor of IT. CatholicCare’s Multicultural Family Support worker Mirja Colding-Moran, says Sina is a bright and proactive young man who no doubt will do very well in Australia.

21.01.2022 Student Chefs from St Francis Xavier's College, Hamilton, cook meals for a cause. DARA is incredibly grateful to the SFX community who have helped us to meet the increase demand for food relief by cooking up an astonishing 425 Chicken Tikka Masala meals. The students really connect with active social justice initiatives. They don’t hesitate to volunteer. I saw them in action and was very impressed. Cutting up 51kg of chicken breast is no mean feat. ... Thank you SFX!

17.01.2022 ’ . Providing home delivery in place of a sit-down meal doesn’t mean we need to compromise on quality or taste. DARA’s Food Programs coordinator, Baden was excited to share with us his Uncle’s famous Bread and Butter Pudding in the recent Aurora edition. A chef of 37 years, Uncle Tony as with many hospitality workers, was stood down in March but was the first to respond to DARA’s new way of operating. ... He has been cooking delicious meals that are being delivered directly into the homes of those in need. We encourage those who are in need of a hearty meal to register your details at http://dara.org.au/home-delivery/ or call 4979 1339 (during office hours), as we continue to support and connect with our community a little differently.

15.01.2022 Changing communities since 2017, Everett is a long serving volunteer at Dara’s Raymond Terrace Community Kitchen and Islington service. Volunteering alongside his wife Deb, the urge to give back to the community was the motivation behind his volunteering journey. We like doing it to give something back to the community. It gives [our patrons] a kick-start for the week. They can get some sandwiches, a hot meal, and just someone to talk to.... #NVW2020 See more

12.01.2022 A perfect display of 'we're all in this together'. Thank you Harris Farm Markets and Newcastle Meals on Wheels!

12.01.2022 ! We’re incredibly grateful to our team of volunteers who have gone above and beyond to prepare, cook and deliver these meals, and to everyone who has supported us. If you or someone you know is in need of a home cooked meal during these tough times we encourage you to please register your details at http://dara.org.au/home-delivery/ or call 4979 1339 (during office hours).... Continue to share this message

11.01.2022 Bahar Fayazi a student of St Bede's Catholic College, Chisholm and English teacher Kiralee Bradley were involved in an inspirational Refugee Week video created by the school community. This platform allowed Bahar and Kiralee to share harrowing experiences of persecution retold by relatives. There was a change of government in Iran and it said everyone had to be Muslim, says Bahar Fayazi. Our family wanted to remain Christian, so we came to Australia. My family would have ...been killed or jailed for continuing to be Christians. I would have been in great danger. Students of St Bede's remind us of the takeaway from last year’s celebration nobody chooses to be a refugee. Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/2OpaN6E

11.01.2022 Australia has had great success in flattening the coronavirus curve but that victory has come with a devastating side effect massive unemployment. Director of CatholicCare Hunter-Manning, Gary Christensen says people are under enormous financial pressure and are likely to continue to be for a long period of time. Birmingham Gardens resident Kagombe migrated to Australia from Africa two years ago with his family and receives general assistance from CatholicCare Hunter-Mannin...g and DARA. He learnt English, completed several TAFE courses, and was close to securing a job before the pandemic struck. I’m on JobSeeker and I’m looking for a job anywhere but it’s very hard now because of the virus, said Kagombe. The $550 supplement is a big help, but he still can’t afford some essential household items. I don’t have a fridge and the washing machine recently broke down. Life is challenging with the JobSeeker supplement, so it’s hard to imagine how Kagombe and his family will manage without it, especially if the job market continues to deteriorate.

08.01.2022 A collaboration between the diocesan Development and Relief Agency (DARA), Soul Cafe Newcastle, and Collective Heart initiative resulted in the making of a tasty meal for families the agency supports including asylum seekers, refugees and those struggling to provide food for their families due to COVID-19 job losses. The aim of the day was not just to provide food, but also to build new friendships with the Collective Heart members and DARA families, to create belonging and connection.

08.01.2022 Di, a volunteer of Orange Sky Australia, shares heart felt emotions that we here at DARA completely resonate with. Whilst we continue to serve our community through the delivery of home-cooked meals, we wish for nothing more than to connect with our friends again.

08.01.2022 New to the team, Bridget joined the DARA Newcastle service in March 2020. Joining in the midst of the pandemic, Bridget has been a vital part of the response to the situation currently. As DARA adapted their service to meet the increased demand, Bridget was quick to jump in and assist the team in the kitchen, preparing home cooked meals that could be delivered to those in need of nourishment in our backyard. #NVW2020

07.01.2022 . Adapting to a new life as a refugee in Australia is difficult enough, without the added stresses of a global pandemic. With COVID-19, our face-to-face english classes and men’s and women’s program have been paused, and the refugee community have had to cope with increased levels of isolation.... Whilst classes are paused, DARA remains committed to do our part by supporting our friends from various countries with conversations, connections and general assistance. Refugee week is a reminder that we are all responsible for creating a welcoming country. The need to open our hearts, unite in care and outreach to people who seek protection is stronger than it has ever been. Regardless of our difference, we all share a common humanity. We are all in this together. #Refugeeweek2020 #Yearofwelcome

07.01.2022 ’ . The onset of winter, coupled with the impact that COVID-19 has had on people’s lives including record high unemployment rates means people need help and they need it now. CatholicCare Hunter-Manning's mission is to build a stronger, kinder and fairer society that values all people. In the last three years, we have served over 45,000 meals between CatholicCare’s Community Kitchens and DARA’s Food Programs to those who are not sure where their... next meal will come from. Your act of kindness be it a $2, $5 or $50 tax deductible donation will go a long way to helping us continue this vital service and help us to open more community kitchens and food programs across the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. Click below to learn how you can support.

04.01.2022 #Togethernotalone. After passing the hat around its members recently, Maritime Union of Australia - Newcastle Branch collected $16,500 to support three local organisations with a long history of helping those most in need. Eastlakes Financial Services received $8500, Soul Cafe Newcastle $5000 and DARA received $3000.... In partnering with the three local organisations, MUA wanted to do their bit and provide what assistance they could to help those less fortunate get through this terrible time. During the current pandemic, the DARA food program has been able to quickly reconfigure its service delivery to ensure those in need could be reached. This donation will greatly assist the program and its committed volunteers to create and deliver much-needed meals to those in the community who require it.

04.01.2022 , ." A theme that we truly believe is embodied by each one of our incredible volunteers. Brother Pat, is just one of those volunteers. No stranger at DARA, Brother Pat has volunteered for 7 years at DARA’s Islington service helping those less fortunate in our community.... We are all together, we are all one big family. If people are down on their luck, homeless or hungry, we’ve got it and want to share it. #NVW2020

04.01.2022 Australia is a highly successful multicultural society, fortunate to be exposed to a rich diversity of practices and traditions. If we aspire to live in a harmonious society, it is vital that we do not merely accept or tolerate those differences but celebrate what makes us different and find joy in our uniqueness. "It's vitally important that we're supporting our children to respect and accept differences, Kelly Pavan, a Psychologist with CatholicCare Social Services Hunter- Manning said. Otherwise, the risk will be that they become adults who contribute to problems brought about by racism and discrimination."

02.01.2022 Delivering home-cooked meals has been one of the ways we've responded to meet the increased need for food relief during the COVID pandemic. Thanks to our incredible staff, volunteers and community partners we have cooked, packaged with care, and delivered 3,980 nourishing meals for those in need. We are continuing to serve the community and encourage those who need a heart-warming meal to register their details below.