COMMUNITY activists, leaders, neighbours, friends and families of Wentworth have come together for one greater purpose – to care for one another in their hour of need.
After noticing the dire effects of the lockdown on those living in her immediate community, community leader Esmeen Usher called on her family and friends to help her start a food drive. “There is a lot of impoverishment in this area. I couldn’t sit back and watch the days go by as many of the people in my community suffered. This way at least I know no one in my community will go to bed hungry. You find that even the teens that help me, have children that rely on these meals,” said Esmeen, who shared that the food drive has no age limitations on who can come on board to lend a helping hand, provided that they follow the necessary hygiene protocols.
“Since we started these feedings, I have seen that there are a lot of children that are hungry and really appreciate the meals that we serve daily. In return it is very rewarding to us and motivates us to keep on going. Through the lockdown we have become responsible volunteers that work together as a team to help those in need. Some of these children don’t have positive role models and I hope that through this, we have inspired some hope in them,” said volunteer, Michael Wagner.
Children, teens, young adults and elders have formed a united front against hunger. Ensuring that their community starts off the morning right, the team delivers a nutritious breakfast of hot porridge throughout the community that is often cooked and prepared by Esmeen’s husband, Denzil. As soon as the breakfast run is done, lunch preparations are underway lead by aunty Helen Fisher who said that the initiative has given her a purpose to get up every morning. “Things are very bad out here in this community. I enjoy cooking and being a part of this effort to feed our brothers and sisters. It keeps me busy and doing something positive while also helping the community,” she said.
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