While volunteers can no longer get together to serve meals to the homeless, there are more and more people who are hungry and need our help.
Hale School has responded by offering opportunities for families to show their care in a different way. Students and parents have cooked meals together at home and packaged them up ready to be distributed to those in need.
This year different year groups are being called upon to contribute throughout the year. First up were the Year 7s and their families, who cooked about 500 meals in total from their homes and dropped them at school on Friday 25 March ready for distribution through the Salvation Army.
Richard Jones was one of those students and worked with his mum to make 20 containers of chicken cassoulet and butter chicken. He said he was happy to play his part and work side by side with his mum.
“We thought it would be nice to give back to the community and show the Hale motto of ‘Duty’,” he said. “It is a nice feeling.”
Classmate Zane Lucev – who contributed 10 containers of bangers and mash – agreed:
“If we have food to give then we should give it when there are other people who have nothing.”
Next up were the Year 11 and 2 families who contributed almost 600 meals to St Bart’s, serving the homeless or those at risk of homelessness.
Both charities were surprised by the number of meals and very grateful for the assistance.
Hale School’s 2022 Parents’ and Friends’ Association President, Peter Pynes, said he was very proud of the boys’ selfless service.
“To witness the beaming smiles (behind their masks) of the many boys that presented the meals outside the Senior Admin building today was a very touching moment for all of us, only surpassed by the excitement and gratitude that we received when we unloaded the meals to the Salvation Army volunteers at their Northbridge depot. The pride shown by the boys in helping others is a quality that hopefully they will hold onto during their Hale journey and beyond.”
Salvation Army Volunteer and Logistics Coordinator, Raoul Smith said the meals would be distributed to the homeless, those in need and those without cooking facilities. Anyone can access the free service.
Next cab off the rank in Term 2 is the Year 10s who will donate meals to young people in Anglicare transitional housing. Hale’s Year 10 Anglicare WA Ambassadors will be working with the School Chef, Herb Faust to make a delicious yellow curry in the school canteen.
Hale School has a long tradition of service learning, with hundreds of boys volunteering in various ways each year to help those in need, including the homeless, the vulnerable and the aged.
