A team from Sanitarium Health Food Company recently spent a morning volunteering at Soul Hub, a Newcastle-based community organization that provides meals, care, and connection to people experiencing homelessness or hardship.

The visit, by nine Sanitarium team members recognized for values-led service, reflects the company’s commitment to whole-person health and its ongoing efforts to live out the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church through practical, community-focused initiatives. Sanitarium, established in 1898, is owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia and New Zealand and is known globally for promoting health, nutrition, and wellbeing.

Located in the heart of Newcastle, north of Sydney, Soul Hub offers food, services, and support to people in need. In 2024, the organization served an average of 1,907 meals per week, facilitated 756 loads of laundry, and hosted more than 1,600 participants in care-based service sessions.

Sanitarium CEO Kevin Jackson joined the group in preparing food and speaking with guests.

“Our secret sauce at Sanitarium is all about community, family, and culture—it’s something we take seriously,” Jackson said. “It was a privilege to volunteer alongside this group and witness firsthand the compassion and connection Soul Hub creates each day.”

Sanitarium also made a donation to Soul Hub in support of their ongoing work.

Soul Hub general manager Matthew Ortiger expressed his thanks: “There’s no big funder behind Soul Hub, so donations like this make everything possible. Thank you so much—we really appreciate it.”

For the Sanitarium volunteers involved, the experience offered both perspective and purpose.

“I was surprised to learn that for some guests, visiting Soul Hub might be their only chance to have a genuine conversation with someone who isn’t being paid to be there,” said Roxy Davis, from Sanitarium’s Vitality Works. “It made me realise how easy it is to take my own connections for granted—a humbling reminder of the importance of human connection.”

“I’d expected a kind of soup kitchen setup, but what we saw was so much more,” added Anna Meale, another Sanitarium volunteer. “Soul Hub offers well-rounded support—they build trust with guests and then connect them with services that can genuinely help change their lives.”

Soul Hub’s Community and Volunteer Engagement manager Ella Playfair echoed that sentiment: “Our guests love talking to people and you might be the only person they speak to in a day. Even just talking to them about anything will help make their day. They are people at heart, and love relating to others who recognise that.”

The visit was part of Sanitarium’s broader Community Care Program, which supports food security and wellbeing for individuals and families facing hardship. Through initiatives such as school breakfast programs, food pantries, and emergency relief efforts, Sanitarium partners with local and national charities to help communities access nutritious food.

In September, the same group of award recipients will join an Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)-led community service project in the Solomon Islands, continuing their commitment to service and supporting whole-person health beyond Australia’s borders.

The original article was published on the South Pacific Division news site, Adventist Record. Join the ANN WhatsApp Channel for the latest Adventist news.