Every Wednesday night, the youth drop-in centre, The Nest, opens its doors to at-risk and vulnerable youth in Frankston. It’s a safe place where kids can relax, connect with mentors and friends, share a meal together, and play games. It’s an opportunity for the kids to forget their troubles and just be kids!
Feeding 50-60 youth every Wednesday is no small feat, and we’ve had the support of local churches like Grace Church, who last month visited The Nest with their BBQs and a truckload of yummy food, blessing 60 kids with a BBQ feast. Some of these youths don’t get to experience a typical ‘family’ BBQ – so this was a very welcomed and special treat from the usual pizza dinner they have at The Nest.
“It was wonderful to support and encourage you,” said Grace Church Deacon Veronica Vanderree. “A stand-out moment was how polite and respectful all the kids were. Their manners and patience were amazing. You could see they felt comfortable and safe in The Nest. It was beautiful to see the love and attention shown by all the crew to all the kids.”
Fire Church in Carrum Downs collected an offering last month to support the charity and its mission to relentlessly pursue volatile at-risk kids and to restore lives. Church members also generously donated legs of lamb for the Easter feast the kids enjoyed while learning about the history of the Passover meal.
Street Peace team is so grateful to the local church community, for supporting and coming together to bring positive change to the lives of its young people.
Are you a community group or local church that would like to support at-risk youth by providing dinner at The Nest? We’d love to hear from you.