A MOBILE kitchen trailer to help feed homeless and disadvantaged people in the Frankston area has been built thanks to the generosity of several corporate, government and sporting club supporters.
The Life-Gate charity unveiled the trailer last Wednesday (6 June) at the Frankston Library forecourt.
Chisholm TAFE students helped prepare food at the new trailer’s first outing.
Karingal Hub shopping centre stepped in with a $8000 donation to rescue the trailer project in March after a majority of Frankston councillors decided not to accept a request for council funding (“Mobile kitchen help gets knocked back”, The Times 19/2/18).
“My wife Ulli and I founded Life-Gate 26 years ago because we saw the needs in our city,” Reverend Angel Roldan said.
“The needs are still there, they are even greater than then.
“Life-Gate has been operating a food-van now for 26 years. This trailer is an answer to prayer, because now our street outreach team will be able to be more effective in helping the needy with all the accessories installed.
While we offer food to the needy, it is a means to get to know the needs of individuals who can, then, come to our centre for counselling, training, referrals to rehabilitation centres, and referrals to other organisations.”
Federal Liberal Dunkley MP Chris Crewther facilitated a $11,000 federal government grant, South East Water and Bayside Shopping Centre pitched in $5000 each, Mt Eliza marketing business Creative Artroom contributed $2000 and $3500 was handed over by individual donors via an online GoFundMe campaign.
St Kilda Football Club invited Life-Gate to be the AFL club’s charity partner at its season launch to help make up the $36,000 total needed to build the trailer.