For as little as $27, you can 
Donate a Plate to help us to serve the vulnerable all throughout the holiday season.
Our Community Kitchen is a safe, welcoming space where anyone can come for a warm meal, friendly conversation, and a sense of connection.
This service is powered by the incredible support of volunteers and community donations.
Every weekday, the doors of our Community Kitchen at Lifeline South Coast open wide — not just to serve food, but to offer a safe space, connection, compassion, and dignity.
Our Team Leader Leah runs the Kitchen alongside Assistant Team Leader, Toni and a group of 40 kind-hearted volunteers.
When Leah was asked what makes working in the Kitchen special for her, she said it was the little things:
"It's as simple as watching someone eat a mouthful of food or seeing someone who doesn't usually speak make a connection with someone else at the table.
It's seeing someone gain weight because they're eating healthy meals regularly now.
Many of our customers are not "socially accepted" - but here they are accepted and respected, and they show us that acceptance and respect in return.
Our service has further reaching effects than just filling bellies - one of our regular customers with diabetes has recently seen an improvement in her condition because she's eating healthily now.
The customers are also becoming like a family - they're making connections with each other and supporting each other. They know they are safe here."
In November alone:
We served over 3000 meals to community members.
Our amazing volunteers worked a combined total of 386 hours.
Various local businesses donated 2,416 kgs of food to us, saving it from going to landfill.
Located in the heart of Wollongong, our meals are made possible by generous donations from our community and the care of our dedicated volunteers.
Volunteer Kay works in the Kitchen every Thursday and says:
"I just love being here and being part of this team - I love being able to give back to the community. We all have different skills, and we work together to provide fresh meals, cooked from scratch. We're more than a team; we're a family"
But beyond serving food, our kitchen offers something even more powerful: a reminder that people are seen and cared for. Whether someone is experiencing loneliness, financial hardship, or homelessness, they’ll find a place here where they belong.
Why We Need Your Help This Christmas
The festive season can be one of the hardest times of year for many. Loneliness and financial stress don’t take a holiday — and our Community Kitchen needs extra support to continue offering its safe, nourishing space.
That’s where Donate a Plate comes in. By contributing from as little as $27, you help ensure that we can keep our kitchen open, keep meals coming, and maintain a warm table for those who need it most.
Your donation goes directly into buying fresh ingredients, covering costs, and keeping this vital space running. It will also go towards funding our Christmas Day lunch - because nobody should be alone or hungry at this special time of year.
Thank you for supporting us and your local community.
If you or someone you know needs help, please call
Lifeline on 13 11 14 (available 24/7). If life is in danger, please call 000.
Lifeline South Coast acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Countries throughout the region we serve, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, their cultures, and Elders both past and present.
