Always about people finding freedom
The Salvation Army’s Kempsey Corps has a vision to see a healthier community in northern NSW with their new mobile food van.
The Kempsey Salvation Army is working with the local council and police to build relationships in the community, lower local crime rates and decrease truancy. The new mobile food van is just one step towards achieving these ambitious plans.
Kempsey Salvation Army officer, Captain Karen Keddie, says the idea for the van came from a successful barbeque program the corps (church) held by the Macleay River.
“The mobile feeding van was a vision that came from our leadership team about three years ago. We put together a community-needs analysis and we started a program down at the river using the barbeque facilities.
“We were feeding the homeless and from that we felt that we needed something more, so that’s when it all started.”
The large, custom-built trailer is packed with handy equipment. It contains an Xbox, TV, coffee machine, hot water urn, sports equipment, a huge four-plate burner barbeque, a slushy machine, milkshake maker, toaster grill and popcorn maker.
By making connections through the food van, The Salvation Army also hopes to give probationers work, encourage youth and run parenting and life skills training.
“We felt like we needed something of our own. We assessed the homeless situation. We also have a huge Indigenous population and thought that it would be good to connect with the youth at skate parks through the trailer. These are our three main target areas,” says Captain Keddie.
“Kempsey has a bad reputation but it’s a beautiful place. The Salvation Army is about community and bringing people together, so we are hoping that other people would come on board.
“A lot of the kids in our town think that their life is headed for gaol and that’s their future. So we are trying to show them there is something different.
“We want to show them that there are other choices out there and other options to be made. We want to show them they don’t have to head towards a life of crime”.
