Home grown help all in a day’s work 

All of our Southcare stars have a special and personal connection with us, but for Kay, it started long before she was receiving care. 

You see, for 12 years Kay donated homegrown vegetables to Southcare’s Emergency Relief team via the McDougall Park Community Garden. 

Those vegetables were then given by Southcare to customers in immediate crisis so they had healthy and hearty food to eat. 

“Carrots, pumpkins, cabbage, beans, lettuce, peas, cauliflower, eggplant, silverbeet, you name it, we grew it and then donated it. 

Southcare now offers food vouchers to Coles supermarkets as part of its Emergency Relief service which means Kay is able to donate her produce to other community organisations.  

“I am still very active in the garden, working there every week, sometimes with local students and other community volunteers, and now a lot of the produce goes to the Manning Senior Citizens,” Kay said. 

At home, she does the same, growing all sorts of delicious produce meaning that she rarely goes to the shops. 

“I love gardening.   I am up at 5am and in my garden by 6am,” she says. 

Helping people seems to be her life calling.  After arriving in Perth 22 years ago, she has been a tour guide with His Majesty’s Theatre, taught needlework with the South Perth Uniting Church and for the last 12 years has managed the garden in Como. 

I fled during Apartheid and decided when I arrived in Australia I would not work for money but instead put my skills to charity to help people. 

“I want to give to the country that has given so much to me.”   

And after caring for so many, it’s now her turn to revive a helping hand. 

Kaye receives a fortnightly domestic assistance service from Southcare in line with her approved care needs. 

“I get the help I need inside the house so I can spend my time outside the house helping others!” she said. 

If you would like to join Kay as a volunteer at the garden, email mcdougallfarmcg@gmail.com. 

Want to know more about our Southcare Stars?  Discover more about Ted, Delia, Stanley, Maria, Trish and Pearl.

If you would like more information about Southcare and how we use our caring hands, reach out on 9450 6233.