Hearty meals for the homeless

One Meal – It Makes a Difference
Committed. Generous. Empathetic

Jackie Warn has dedicated the last six years to One Meal – It Makes a Difference, a charity that provides meals to homeless and underprivileged people in Sydney.

Jackie spends her Friday and Saturday nights cooking hearty meals and collecting food donations to feed 180 to 200 people on Saturdays at Green Park and Ward Park in inner Sydney.

Volunteers also hand out sleeping bags, blankets, fruit, toiletries and clothing to those in need.

Jackie manages dozens of volunteers, provides food safety and health training and is director of the One Meal committee assisting in fundraising and strategy planning.

She tackles the job with boundless energy and a smile on her face.

Many charities shut their doors during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Jackie and One Meal volunteers with the support of Darlo Darlings group continued to run the program – despite a shortage of donated food – and even expanded it to a second location to meet increased need.

Jackie is moved by the gratitude shown by many service users.

“Many live on their own, so just a friendly conversation can mean a lot to them,” she says.

Jackie is honoured to be nominated a Westfield Local Hero. “The nomination motivates me to think of other ways we can help the homeless and marginalised in the community. Think I'll have to make a list!”

Westfield Local Heroes are nominated and voted for by their communities, with the three top finalists per Westfield centre each awarded a $10,000 grant for their affiliated organisation. One Meal – It Makes a Difference will use its grant to pay for the service’s running costs for one year.

For further information on the Westfield Local Heroes program, click here