A Footscray soup van has been thrown a lifeline in its bid to keep serving more than 50,000 meals for people in need each year.
The St Vincent de Paul Society Footscray soup van, now operating out of inadequate premises, faced imminent closure unless it was able to secure new premises for preparing up to 250 meals a day.
Under a proposal to be formalised at last night’s Maribyrnong council meeting, St Vincent de Paul Society sought access to the Raleigh Road Activity Centre kitchen in Maribyrnong to help prepare soup and sandwiches for distribution to homeless and vulnerable people.
Under the two-year trial partnership, St Vincent de Paul Society would pay for gas and power use in exchange for access to the kitchen area as well as space for fridges and a freezer and storage for tinned food, blankets and jumpers.
Soup van operations manager Danusia Kaska’s partnership proposal noted that the van visited homes, boarding houses and caravan parks as well as providing an 8pm daily street stop at Whitten Oval in Footscray so that those sleeping rough have a central point at which to receive a meal.
“There is some degree of urgency in our request,” she said. “We have been recently removed from the kitchen at Our Lady’s parish, Maidstone, due to renovation and a change of use of the facility.”
A council report backing the partnership noted the Footscray soup van had been running since 1989, serving more than 50,000 meals a year to people experiencing homelessness, disadvantage and isolation in Footscray, Maidstone and Yarraville. The soup van runs every night of the year.
