ABOUT US
WHO WE ARE
What started as a small soup kitchen in 1988 is now a Sydney institution, loved and supported by people right across the city. Situated in the Kings Cross/Elizabeth Bay area this Sydney Soup Kitchen is ideally situated to help many of the city’s homeless and disadvantaged.
We are proud of the countless volunteers who give so generously of their time and selves to keep our doors open and put meals on the table.
We serve lunch seven days a week, from 11am to 1pm and we are also open on a Wednesday night from 7pm for a meal that gives emphasis to organic produce.
Small groups, organised by their own coordinator, look after each day. These groups typically put a great deal of effort and resource into their shifts, which means fabulous food and a pleasant atmosphere every day.
Some volunteers stay for many years, others come and go over time depending on what is happening in their lives. So these groups have a lot of experienced people but are always being refreshed with new people, either from their own network or from people contacting the parish office, which you can now do directly from this site.
It seems that volunteering at the kitchen is incredibly rewarding on a number of levels, from providing service to those in need to the camaraderie that exists amongst the different groups.
HISTORY
The Sydney Soup Kitchen was started in 1988 by a small group of parishioners. It was conceived as a place that would provide some sense of community for lonely people as much as it was about providing food. And it seems to have always kept this sentiment as, for the most part, it is a peaceful place where people, no matter what hardship they might be dealing with, can enjoy a healthy meal, share with others and be treated with dignity.
Today we serve approximately 50,000 meals a year. All free and of excellent quality, prepared by small teams who take great pride in their choice of meals and their preparation. These people also have a deep understanding of what it means to treat people with dignity and respect and this defines the place.
There is a ‘no strings attached’ perspective and this applies to patrons and volunteers alike. Even though the Kitchen was started by St Canice parishioners supporters come from all walks of life and there has never been any expectation that patrons or volunteers should be of any particular faith or any faith.