It has always been our mission at the Serendib Social Group to combine our passion for food and drink with a social purpose, seen through our first project- Colombo Social.
Food is designed to bring people together, to share stories, to check in on one another and to celebrate being the social creatures we are.
The Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 has certainly done its best to disrupt a key part of human interaction and temporarily change the way we connect.
The coming weeks and months are going to be a massive challenge as we adapt to new lifestyles and deal with uncertainty.
During this time, spare a thought for those who don’t have the luxury to empty supermarket shelves and stockpile on essential food items. They are the people experiencing disadvantage, new Australians who were already struggling to afford to feed their families, people with higher chronic health conditions, people with mental health issues and those living with disabilities without adequate access to the health care sector.
They are now finding it even more challenging to feed themselves and their families.
These are the community members most at risk during this pandemic and whose livelihoods are facing the worst-case scenario.
The Serendib Social Group is making a pledge to continue the fight and stick to our core mission by using our kitchen to help those from vulnerable communities in Sydney. Our outreach will include people without homes, those in temporary social housing, people seeking asylum, and refugees.
Together with locally operating charities and projects such as Mission Australia’s Common Ground Sydney, Settlement Services International and many others, we will provide a layer of extra support. For the foreseeable future throughout this pandemic, we are providing up to 2,000 meals per day, free of charge, to the most vulnerable members of our local community.
This project has already been launched and in less than 3 days over 600 meals have been cooked and delivered free of charge, funded by the Serendib Social Group.
Our cooked meals have gone to elderly Indigenous Australians in Redfern, the homeless in Camperdown and people seeking asylum in Marrickville.
Partnering with our amazing suppliers and friends, Serendib Social Group is turning our restaurant, Colombo Social, into a production kitchen to help those in our society who are most vulnerable.
Our incredible friends include Nelly Robinson (Nel Restaurant), Niroshan Richards (LP's Quality Meats), Jason Sherwill (Blue Salt Catering), Shannon Dwyer (Colombo Social), Olivia Santiago (Deputy) and Kumar Pereira (MasterChef) amongst others.
When we started Colombo Social, we wanted to make a long-term difference for people in need and there is no need more immediate than what people are facing now.
We are cooking hot, nutritious meals and working with charities on the ground to safely deliver these to the most vulnerable community members.
Now is the time to come together, whilst being kept apart, and to do what we can to look out for our neighbours. The beauty of mate ship and kindness shone across Australia during the recent bushfires and it’s time as Aussies to continue to help each other when our mates need it.
If you wish to help, you can #Plateitforward and fund meals for vulnerable members of your community or just simply self-isolate to help flatten the curve and think about those doing it tough during this time.
We want to thank you all for your support in coming together in such a short space of time to show that Australians really do CARE about each other.
For more information please email us at [email protected] or [email protected] or phone on 0458 877 358.
Cheers
Shaun Christie-David and Peter Jones-Best
