It’s all thanks to the community’s generous support of our 2024 Make a Difference appeal.

Our five Community Kitchens serve more than 1,000 meals a week, and our Refugee Hub has helped hundreds of people from refugee and vulnerable migrant backgrounds settle in Australia over the last twelve months.

"CatholicCare is so grateful for the community's support, these funds will go directly to helping local people who are doing it tough," Volunteer Coordinator Meg Norling said.

"Without our generous donors and passionate volunteers we would not be able to do this vital work, every dollar makes a difference and helps us keep up with the rising need across the Hunter and Manning regions."

Demand is higher than ever. Every day, we see new faces at our services. Sadly, we expect this to continue as more people struggle with the rising cost of living.

It’s people like Trudy*, whose pay cheque is not quite enough to cover her weekly expenses, or Craig*, who is couch surfing between his friend's house or sleeping in his car.

No matter the background, everyone is welcome at our services. We’re striving for the day when our kitchens are no longer needed. However, for now, they are having a huge impact in our local communities.

If you’d like to learn more about what CatholicCare does, or find other ways to support them throughout the year, visit www.catholiccare.org.au

Follow mnnews.today on Facebook.