True champions do not wait for perfect conditions to make a difference; they use what they have to uplift those around them. This is the inspiring story of the Bertrams Social Employment Fund (SEF) Health and Wellness team.
Faced with limited resources, the team initially focused their efforts on assisting local home-based care centres and rehabilitation facilities. However, seeing the deep hunger in their neighbourhood, they decided to start a Soup Kitchen. They began harvesting fresh produce from their community gardens to start a soup kitchen on weekends.
The goal was to provide a warm, nutritious meal to the community’s most vulnerable residents, people living on the streets and those staying in a local dilapidated building known as “Number 6,” which houses roughly 21 people, including young children.
What started as a grassroots effort has grown into a massive impact. Thanks to the vital support and donations from local supermarkets, the soup kitchen now feeds between 150 and 200 Bertrams community members every single weekend, extending its warmth to struggling families and children.
Yet, their championship spirit goes far beyond food. These local heroes continuously step up to care for their community by escorting elderly residents to clinics and hospitals and assisting them with daily household chores. By stretching every resource and filling every gap, the Bertrams Health and Wellness team has proven that you don’t need a massive budget to be a hero—you just need a heart for your community.