ROCKINGHAM Seventh-day Adventist Church is throwing open its doors to the underprivileged, and providing soup and buns.
The church has formed a partnership with the Rockingham branch of not-for-profit organisation Adventist Disaster Relief Agency (ADRA) and will serve up soup and bread for the needy on alternate Sunday afternoons.
The first soup and bun night will be held this Sunday, coinciding with WA Homeless Persons Week, which began on Monday.
Figures show the WA Department of Housing has a waiting list approaching 24,000 people. Every night in WA more than 14,000 people are homeless.
ADRA Rockingham branch co-ordinator Peters Ibekwe said the buns would be supplied by local businesses while church volunteers would make the soup.
“We already deliver blankets to charities and want to extend (our work),” he said.
“We want people to be able to come in and have a good meal at least once every two weeks.
“Anyone who feels (they are) less privileged is welcome to come in.”
Mr Ibekwe said he did not know how many would turn up for the first event but said with many homeless people and struggling families in Rockingham, he was prepared for a big turnout.
“Either way we have enough bread and we have enough contributors,” he said.
The soup kitchens will be held fortnightly from 4.30pm to 5.30pm at the Rockingham Seventh-day Adventist Church at 21 Wanliss Street.
Homeless Week 2010 concludes on Sunday.