Our stories

With families struggling as groceries become more expensive, our Cessnock Child & Family Centre is very grateful for its long-standing partnership with local community service SOUPZ ON.

Families dropping into our Cessnock Centre before or after their visit with a loved one have been picking up much-needed food hampers and other supplies donated by SOUPZ ON for an incredible eight years now!

Our local team member David says that the families who visit, often still adjusting to living on one income while dad is in custody, are always very grateful for the food hampers. Still, he’s noticed that lately, they have been even more popular and needed than ever.

“One week, a mum came up and told me that the food saved her that week. She said she wasn’t going to make it and didn’t know how she would feed her family,” David says.

Another mum told him as he loaded up her food hamper, “I was going to have to pay the bills this week or buy food, so thank you.”

Corrective Service Industries also provide our Family Centre with baked bread and goodies that fly out the door!

Local families pop in for the necessities like a loaf of bread and food for their kid’s school lunch boxes, and some treats when available. It’s nice to know that some of their loved ones on the inside played a part in baking the goodies that are going straight into their own kid’s hands.

“With bills going up, any way to help fill the school lunch box is very appreciated”, David says.

“These food hampers are saving families. One mum always comes in with her young kid, and the kid always goes straight for the fruit. Most kids want the snacks, but not this one, and it shows me that they aren’t getting fresh fruit at home. It’s just become too expensive.”

Thank you to SOUPZ ON and Corrective Service Industries for helping us help families in need.

Every bit is appreciated.

Please, if you can, donate to help us keep our doors open for families in need.