Giving food and spare rooms

Southlakes Incorporated
Dedicated. Unstoppable. Kind

Christine (Chris) Mastello wants everyone in the community to feel cared for and valued and runs several programs to help hundreds of people in need.

Chris does her charitable work under the umbrella of her volunteer-run non-profit, Southlakes Incorporated, which she started in 2013.

She hands out hundreds of food hampers, pre-cooked meals and essentials for children and babies every week.

In the nine months leading up to Christmas 2020, her foodbanks gave away $185,000 worth of food to vulnerable community members.

She also brings together volunteer hairdressers, who provide free haircuts to the homeless and anyone who is struggling.

Now the charity is about to launch its third project, the Share Your Home initiative. Locals who have a spare room will gift three months of free accommodation to someone who is homeless and needs a hand to get back on their feet.

The charity also supported isolated seniors during COVID-19 lockdowns. Since Covid last year, Chris has expanded her locations and now assist people throughout the entire Central Coast. “This most recent lockdown is really affecting people, in the last 20 days we have provided free food for over 700 people,” she says.

Chris is honoured to be nominated as a Westfield Local Hero. “We all work so hard and go above and beyond what would normally be expected of a volunteer. The people we work with are good and decent. Through no fault of their own, they have landed in a bad life situation,” she says.

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. Southlakes Incorporated will use its funds to gift a bag with clothing, a towel and a blanket to homeless people as part of the Share Your Home project.

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