Fish for all at the Salvos’ Top End homeless shelters

The Salvation Army’s Cassie Shaw (left) and Sally Courtney (right) with Riani Morgan from Australia Bay Seafoods.

A partnership between the Salvos and a local seafood supplier in Darwin is helping residents at two Salvation Army hostels maintain a healthy, protein-rich diet.           

Australia Bay Seafoods, which has been operating out of Darwin since 1987, donates fresh fish weekly to the Army’s hostels in Darwin (Red Shield House 49) and Berrimah (Sunrise House).

“Australia Bay Seafoods have supported The Salvation Army Hostels for over three years now, 52 weeks of the year,” said Sally Courtney, former Public Relations Manager for the Northern Territory.

“It is a tremendously generous commitment from the company, as they not only provide fresh fish weekly but also deliver the fish to both hostels in the city and at Berrimah.

“Most people love to receive and eat fresh fish. A lot of people are not in the position to go fishing, a majority of people only get to eat fresh fish if they buy it from a shop, and fish is expensive.”

Sally said numerous sizeable ‘saddle tail snappers’ are a welcome addition to both hostels’ residents, not to mention also “a healthy addition of protein to their diet”.

Both hostels run Positive Lifestyle Programs for their residents, and Sally said the regular supply of fish has given staff and residents the opportunity to teach others how to fillet their own fish.

The fish delivery also extends to people experiencing homelessness in and around the Darwin area.

Michael O’Brien, General Manager of Australia Bay Seafoods, said, “Our whole company structure is interlaid with the Darwin community. They support us by buying our fish, and we support local by buying and refitting our vessels locally. Supporting those less fortunate is part of our community structure.”