Bree Anastasi, her husband and daughter with AMES clients Nasir and Zamin enjoying a meal together.

Two AMES clients have hosted a dinner for the founder of the Care to Share project, which sees Melburnians volunteer to host asylum seekers and refugees in their homes.

AMES asylum seeker clients Nasir and Zamin hosted Care to Share co-ordinator Bree Anastasi and her family for dinner at their home in Melbourne’s west.

The Care to Share project is designed to connect residents with local refugee communities through simple acts of sharing.

Bree said a community conversation was started on Facebook via the Inner West Buy Swap Sell page and the West Welcome Wagon page.

She said the conversation culminated in a meeting of 50 like-minded individuals at a pub in Seddon looking for different ways that they, as a community could show support for recently settled asylum seekers.

“The resounding theme of the evening was sharing. What we can do is make a difference for the people that have made the arduous journey here…and sometimes all it takes to make a difference is to let someone know you’re glad they’re here and you’re available to help out. We can do this by sharing a meal, sharing our time, listening to a story and learning something new about a culture,” Bree said.

“My friend Zamin and I shared a meal with Bree and her family at their home in Flemington in June. Bree is the coordinator of the project and she’s also a great cook!

“We just loved being in a locals home sharing conversation and getting to know each other. Zamin and I are both from Pakistan and arrived here late last year.

“Now we have hosted Bree and her family in our home and it was good to be able to share our food and talk,” Zamin said.

Nasir, a student in AMES Youth Program at AMES St Albans, said: “I’ve now got not only my AMES mates but Bree’s family too.”

For more information, contact Bree on: 0401741960, or Lil Fahey at AMES St Albans on: 0418 645 264