Penrith’s Food 4 Everyone says thanks for donating

Anne Jameson (left), Margarita Parrish, Doreen Bond and Nicole Sweeney. Picture: MATT SULLIVAN

via CAAI News Media

26 Jan 10

PENRITH-BASED charity Food 4 Everyone has thanked residents for donating animals to the people of Kampong Cham in Cambodia.

The charity, which was founded by Dr Margarita Parrish and a group of close friends in 2006, bought a farm in the province later that year.

The group called on residents to donate animals for the farm for Christmas and several people dug deep, donating money for the purchase of pigs, ducks and seed packages.

“We would like to give Penrith a really big thank you,” Dr Parrish said.

Her business, M. Parrish Psychological Services, serves as a headquarters for the group, with all staff members actively involved in the charity. Friends and family members also participate.

“We managed to get together a group of people who share the same ideals and believe human beings have a right to eat and to education,” Dr Parrish said.

“Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world. You can feed a child for just 50c a day.”

The group provides funds to feed Cambodian children twice a week, safety packages to children living in rubbish dumps and twice-weekly food packages for AIDS patients.

“In Cambodia they don’t feed patients in the AIDS ward and we think that is unacceptable,” Dr Parrish said.

Among its other initiatives, Food 4 Everyone has also built about 60 wells throughout the Third World nation.

The group also offers agricultural scholarships and educational meetings and is fundraising to build a vocational training centre.

It raises its funds through a combination of events, collecting money on the street and other donation appeals. The next planned fundraiser is a trivia night on May 15.

To donate to Food 4 Everyone call 4737 3400 or go to food4everyone.net.