Food has a way of bringing people together.

JRS Australia is inviting communities across the country to gather around the table, share a meal and help create a more welcoming Australia this World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

On Sunday 27 September, you are being encouraged to Cook to Connect with friends, family, colleagues, parish communities and neighbours: sharing food and conversation while raising funds to support refugees and people seeking asylum.

Find out more and register to host a Cook to Connect meal here.

Cook to Connect can be as simple as a parish morning tea, a shared lunch at work, dinner with friends or a community gathering. There is no particular way to do it. The invitation is simply to come together and make space for connection.

“Food is a beautiful way to share something of who we are with one another,” said Kristen Lazarus, JRS Australia’s Schools and Community Engagement Officer.

“Cook to Connect gives people an opportunity to share food, stories and culture, while thinking about what it means to create a community where everyone has a place to belong.”

More than a meal

For people seeking safety in Australia, rebuilding in a new country can come with significant challenges, including financial hardship, homelessness and difficulty accessing essential services.

Funds raised through Cook to Connect help JRS Australia provide practical support to families in our local community, including casework, food and emergency relief, employment assistance and specialist support for women experiencing sexual and gender-based violence.

Cook to Connect is also an opportunity to celebrate the cultures, traditions and stories that people bring with them when they make Australia their new home.

Recipes that tell a story

As part of the campaign, hosts will receive a free Cook to Connect Recipe E-Book, featuring recipes shared by women involved in JRS Australia’s Finding Safety Project. The recipes celebrate their heritage, their strength, and the hope they bring to our communities.

At the heart of the Finding Safety Project is JRS Australia’s Women’s Space in Western Sydney, where women can come together to find safety, access support, share skills and begin rebuilding their lives in community.

Cook to Connect is an opportunity to support this work while creating space for connection in our own communities.

This World Day of Migrants and Refugees, JRS invites you to make a place at the table, and join us in creating a more welcoming Australia.

Contact Kristen Lazarus, our School and Community Engagement Officer, for more information.