For 22 years, Wenty Leagues and Parramatta Mission have been quietly building one of Western Sydney’s most enduring community partnerships.
It started simply enough. A donation drive. Some staff, a collection bin, a delivery across town. More than two decades later, the partnership between Wenty Leagues and Parramatta Mission has grown into something far more significant: a quiet, steady force for good in Western Sydney.
Parramatta Mission had been feeding, housing and walking alongside the most vulnerable people in our community long before the word ‘partnership’ became a corporate buzzword. Today, the Uniting Church charity serves 300 meals every weekday through its Meals Plus program, alongside laundry facilities, showers, grocery hampers and Community Hub days that connect people with housing support, Centrelink and essential services. It also runs a playgroup for young families, English language classes for migrants and refugees, and provides low-cost accommodation through Wesley Apartments and 175 Hotel.
“At Parramatta Mission, we see ourselves as a family: a place of belonging for anyone doing it tough,” says CEO and lead minister, Reverend Geoff Smith. “Our focus is on building relationships, not just delivering services. People need more than a bed for the night. They need to be known, respected and supported on their journey.”
In 2025, more than half of all those accessing Parramatta Mission’s services came from the Cumberland local government area. The need is local. And so, thankfully, is much of the help.
Wenty Leagues staff (above and left) have been helping Parramatta Mission for 22 years
Wenty Leagues has been one of Parramatta Mission’s most committed partners for 22 years, with their support stretching back to 1998. Community engagement coordinator Rebecca Gauci says the club recognised early on what Parramatta Mission meant to the region.
“Wenty Leagues has seen Parramatta Mission grow from offering a simple hot meal and basic assistance, to delivering a broad range of services,” she says. “It’s a cornerstone of local support.”
That recognition has translated into action: consistent, hands-on, and increasingly community-wide. Wenty Leagues funds local projects through the ClubGRANTS scheme, serves as a foundation partner for Parramatta Mission’s annual A Place at the Table fundraising dinner, and contributes to the Plate for a Mate initiative each Christmas, helping ensure a hot meal reaches people in need over the festive season.
But it’s the volunteer hours that perhaps say the most. Wenty staff regularly head onsite to cook and serve hot lunches alongside the Parramatta Mission team, giving more than 100 hours of volunteer time freely, with thousands of meals served as a result.
“Their partnership goes well beyond financial contributions,” says fundraising and marketing coordinator Mikhail Chowdhary. “Wenty has been instrumental in growing our services and ensuring more people in Western Sydney are cared for.”
KNITTING WARMTH INTO WINTER
Each year, as temperatures drop, the pressure on Parramatta Mission’s services rises. For people sleeping rough, cold nights carry real risk. That’s where Wenty Leagues’ Winter Appeal comes in: a donation drive that began as a staff initiative and has grown steadily ever since.
These days, the volume of donations requires two to three separate deliveries to transport across to Parramatta Mission, a logistical detail that tells its own story about how much the Wenty community has embraced the cause.
One of the standout moments from last year’s appeal came courtesy of the Karabi Knitting Group, one of Wenty Leagues’ community groups, who handcrafted more than 200 items for Parramatta Mission guests. When the delivery arrived, Wenty staff were already on site cooking and serving a hot meal, which meant they saw firsthand the impact of every scarf, beanie and blanket brought through the door.
“It provided a firsthand opportunity to see the impact of the appeal,” Rebecca says, “with the donated items bringing both comfort and a sense of care to those who rely on Parramatta Mission’s services each day.”
For Mikhail, moments like these capture exactly why the Winter Appeal matters.
“Simple items like canned tuna or instant noodles go a long way for families struggling financially, families having to make decisions between paying the rent or putting food on the table,” he says. “The Winter Appeal is our opportunity to make those nights a little warmer, and to show the community that no one has to face the cold alone.”
The impact is felt far beyond a meal. As one daughter recently told a Mission team member of her mother: “Mummy isn’t sad anymore. The nice people at the Mission give us yummy treats.”
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Wenty Leagues will run its annual Winter Appeal throughout May and June, collecting donated items at the club at 50 Smith St, Wentworthville. The community is invited to drop in warm clothing — doonas, beanies, gloves — as well as non-perishable food items including long-life milk, canned goods, pasta and toiletries.
You don’t need to be a Wenty member to contribute. Every item donated makes a direct difference to someone doing it tough this winter.
For more information on Parramatta Mission and the full range of services it provides, visit parramattamission.org.au. To find out more about Wenty Leagues and how to drop off donations, visit wentyleagues.com.au
