Congregations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Macarthur Stake (diocese) continue to support local community groups and charities in their hour of need as COVID-19 gets closer and closer to home.
Shining Stars, which provides countless meals to homeless people in the Campbelltown area, needed a boost to continue their service. Camden Ward (congregation) jumped into action to donate groceries in response to an invitation extended by Jemma Perrett, the Relief Society President, and donations keep coming.
Following the success of a cook-off held before Christmas last year, the young adults of the Church in Macarthur area banded together in February to prepare hundreds of meals in another cook-off. Lyn, a co-founder of Shining Stars, said, “It was brilliant--even better than the previous one! A total of 600 meals, as well as desserts, were prepared.”
- Shining Stars Co-founders and other volunteers were happy to receive donations from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- Young adults from the Camden Ward and Shining Stars volunteers pose for a photo at cook off to benefit homeless in the area, February 2020.
- Camden Ward Relief Society President, Jemma Perrett, helped organise the young adult cook-off to benefit the homeless through Shining Stars, February 2020.
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“Only a handful of charitable organisations are operating at the moment. Soup kitchens are closing. We don’t want to stop our service until we are forced to. The homeless are our most vulnerable,” Lyn said.
Expressing her gratitude to members of the Church, Lyn added, “The Church is our main supporter providing food supplies at the moment. I feel so blessed that I first met just one member. Now we have all this help.”
Macarthur Stake President, Morgan Jones, is delighted that their stake is able to team up with organisations like Shining Stars. He noted that by combining the respective resources and abilities, “we are able to bless [more] lives … in a more efficient and meaningful way.”