Prayer Powers a Southern Sydney Food Pantry

Cost of living pressures are not the main reason more people are turning to a food pantry and op shop in southern Sydney.

Persistent, enthusiastic prayer is credited with Southside Care at Miranda almost tripling its impact during the past 18 months.

“Southside Church has a real heartbeat for prayer,” Sue Morgan told Hope Mornings.

“We are seeing the fruit of that in this food distribution and the care that goes out.”

You don’t have to speak with Sue for long to discover she’s a dedicated woman of prayer.

Sue and her husband Keith are members of the Hope family and they know God wants followers of Jesus to bring everything to him in prayer.

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Keith explained that since early 2025, Southside Care has increased from providing 40 hampers per week to more than 100.

Behind those numbers and Southside Care being “bathed in prayer” are deeply personal stories.

“We’re seeing all sorts of people,” Keith told Hope Mornings.

“People who are homeless, people who are living in vans, all the way through to people who have got regular jobs with regular income but still can’t make ends meet.”

“We had one particular lady come in very late in the afternoon.

“She said ‘Whatever you’ve got is more than I’ve got in my cupboard.’”

The need goes beyond food.

“Sometimes people need clothing,” Sue said.

“They need even a toothbrush and toothpaste.

“Once we had someone that just needed hair shampoo: ‘Oh, I can finally wash my hair.’”

Prayer at the Centre of Care

Notable about Southside Care is the way its support and concern is provided.

For Keith and Sue, prayer isn’t separate from the practical work – it shapes everything.

The Morgans have even set aside half an hour every day to pray together.

“Every week, we pray for every person as they come through the door,” Keith said about Southside Care’s approach to community help.

“We want to make sure that as they come through the door, they sense a presence of God, the peace of God, and just a safe place.”

Connecting with God does not stop at previous prayers.

Keith offered an example of sharing prayer with a regular visitor to Southside Care.

“I put my hand on her shoulder and I was able to just pray for her,” Keith said.

“It was not a big religious prayer.

“We just talked to God about the issues that she was facing.”

The response to this combination of physical and spiritual concern is often deeply emotional.

“We get tears – tears of heartache – people pouring their hearts out,” Keith said.

“It’s not just we’re here to do something for you.

“We’re here to live life with you.”

Sue adds that for some, something deeper is happening. Immediate needs are being met, but even deeper needs are being recognised.

“They’re actually receiving healing through Jesus,” Sue said.

A simple invitation: start with one

With demand growing for Southside Care’s support, how many does it think it can help to provide for?

“With God, all things are possible; there’s never a limit,” Keith said, acknowledging practical constraints like volunteer numbers and food supply. Southside Care welcomes anyone interested in giving their time, effort and concern to be part of its team.

Sue sees the bigger picture not in scale but in faithfulness.

“Positioning yourself in the presence of God and just saying, ‘Here we are, Lord. Use us.’”

For other churches or Christian groups eager to be there for the needs of their community, Keith and Sue have a simple first step.

“Start with one,” Keith said.

“Jesus was all about one.

“To be able to engage with that one person and make a difference in their life.”

Sue brings it back to prayer again.

“Pray for the one and the twos, and see where God takes it.”

Listen to the full conversation in the player above.

Feature image: Supplied