Anniversary dinner draws big crowd to help those struggling

St Merkorious Charity started out small in the kitchen of founder Paula Nicolas with a mission to feed the growing number of people going hungry.

Today, it’s feeding more than 4000 people a week from a commercial kitchen, helping kids start the day with a full stomach and delivering outreach to people who are finding it hard to make ends meet.

Inspirational St Merkorious Charity Founder Paula Nicholas addressing the crowd on the night.

It is a shining example of a good idea growing into an invaluable community service.

The remarkable growth of St Merkorious Charity was celebrated with a fundraising event at Lemnos by Clarence in Belmore on June 19.

The PAYCE Foundation was the major sponsor for the 11th Anniversary Celebration that will help more people who are finding it hard to survive as rents and the cost of living continue to rise, with people often forced to choose between eating or keeping warm.

St Merkorious Charity is now a major community service that is:

• Delivering a food relief service to the homeless by postcode and client
• Providing weekly community meals in Parramatta and Mt Druitt
• Assessing clients in need and referring them to support services
• Supporting children in need through education programs
• Arranging donations and fundraisers for those in need of emergency support

The event was attended by a host of VIPs, including Mayor of Burwood Council John Faker, State Member for Strathfield Jason Li, and Federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Member for Watson Tony Burke. Mrs Nicolas thanked everyone for their ongoing support for the vital service.

“I would like to thank the PAYCE Foundation who supported us from day one, including with our first mobile food van,” she said.

PAYCE Foundation Director Dominic Sullivan said: “Paula and the team at St Merkorious have done a remarkable job helping people who are struggling to receive the basics to survive. It is an amazing story, and we are delighted to be a major supporter of a charity that is making a significant difference in the community.”