Erin Harper is a devoted volunteer of nine years for Vinnies South Eastern Soup Van in Dandenong sharing the importance of human connections and community.
As demands grow for free hot soup, fresh produce, blankets and other items, so does the need for real conversation, kindness and compassion.
“Once you get involved…you don’t want to stop,” Ms Harper says.
“You see the impact you make on the people, not just in giving them soup or vegetables – it’s the emotional support and to be a listening ear to them when needed.
“A lot of people don’t have a big network support so it’s a really nice position to be there so that we can provide that support to people.”
Ms Harper, born and raised in Greater Dandenong, is one of the charity’s long-serving members.
The soup van is operated by at least 50 volunteers on a weekly basis with anywhere between five to 10 volunteers a night juggling between work and life demands.
A long line of at least 140 people in need gather at the corner of Clow and Lonsdale Street opposite of the Dandenong Market, within one hour of the soup van’s arrival.
Apart from Dandenong, the service is currently being served in Berwick.
To accommodate and streamline the service, a new soup van hub in Hallam is soon to be completed late this year to gain better reach all over the south east.
Currently, the soup van operates out of the St John Regional College kitchen in Dandenong preparing and packing the food.
Ms Harper echoes the massive outcry over cost of living pressures, saying the van is serving many people “who can’t make ends meet”
“They’re very appreciative for the most part. We’ve see a lot of change in five years in the kinds of people we are serving.
“Pre-Covid it was people sleeping rough.
“Now we’re getting people who can’t make ends meet but also we’re seeing a large influx of new arrivals.
“They let us know if we weren’t able to provide this service they would have to make the decision in feeding their family, having running water and so on.”
She says they are fortunate if they receive novelty items such as chocolate biscuits for their clients. They make sure to provide culturally appropriate items so clients are comfortable to cook with it.
It’s not just about feeding or providing items to those in need, Ms Harper says.
The bigger picture is also taking their burden away and giving them freedom to decide what they can provide for their families.
The soup van also donates whatever they receive from their partners like the stallholders from the Dandenong Market, many of whom are new arrivals themselves.
Lentils, rice, pasta, canned food, cereal, milk, infant consumption snack, tune, crackers and other toiletries, nappies for babies, blankets during winter, if they are fortunate and so on.
Frontline organisations like South East Community Links (SECL) have long spoken on the rising demands for their services such as financial counselling in light of rising cost of living pressures and housing crisis.
Initiatives like Kathy’s Auction of second-harnd items and SECL’s Bring Your Bills Day are growing in popularity as a result.
There are 45 rough sleepers in City of Greater Dandenong according to the Dandenong Zero website, a project partnering Greater Dandenong Council and Launch Housing since 2022.
Overall, there’s 70 listed as homeless including nine in temporary stable housing, eight in respite or hotels and eight unknowns.
In April, Greater Dandenong had 53 rough sleepers, the highest amount since the beginning of 2025.
Soup Van Street Services
Every Tuesday DANDENONG
• 6.16pm – 7.15pm Dandenong Plaza Corner of Clow & Lonsdale Streets – opposite Dandenong Market
THURSDAYS – Berwick & Surrounds
• 6:30pm – 7pm Narre Warren IGA Car Park
• 7:15pm – 7:45pm Orient Place, Hampton Park (car park)
SUNDAYS – Berwick & Surrounds
• 6:30pm – 7pm Narre Warren IGA Car Park
• 7:15pm – 7:45pmOrient Place, Hampton Park (car park)
TUESDAYS – Mobile Pantry Van (1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month)
• 11:30am – 11:45am Narre Warren IGA Car Park
• 12:00pm – 12:30pm – Orient Place, Hampton Park (car park)
