How easy is it to judge another person? It’s so easy to catch oneself in the very act of assessing and judging someone and in the process determining who is worthy of our time, attention, kindness and love.

At Salt we are on a journey of unlearning judgement of others, as a way of life. In the context of community, we are constantly faced with people so different to ourselves. There are people who have a firm grip on life and people who do not. People who dress and present well and people that have no means, energy, nor ability to do so. People who make decisions we approve of and understand and people who don’t. Life is not an even playing field. We often expect people to pull up their socks, but more often than not, they don’t have a pair of socks to pull up.

When we look at people vastly different to ourselves, it is so easy to judge and discard. What is invisible to the untrained eye is the trauma, abuse and life history that has placed unbearable loads upon the shoulders of people. Who are we to pass judgement up on how they carry that load? This is where mercy comes in.

Mercy is compassion, kindness and forgiveness when we have the power to punish or harm instead. It is patience, second and third chances, the building of bridges. Once we get in touch with our own woundings, imperfections, and need for mercy, it becomes an easier road to offer mercy to others.

Mercy triumphs over judgement every time!

Much love,

Pete and Meg

This year, we have two ways you can support locals in need at Christmas. ​ ​

As part of our Christmas hamper donation drive, you can either: ​

1️⃣ Donate food items – We’re collecting non-perishable groceries to fill our Christmas Hampers. Drop donations at Salt Base (5–19 Birriley St, Bomaderry) during office hours, or email [email protected]. ​

2️⃣ Buy a hamper outright – For $40, you can sponsor a full hamper through our I Said Yes campaign, helping us deliver food and care directly to local families.

Donations over $2 are tax deductible, and you can choose to give once-off or set up a recurring donation to help throughout the year.

Together, we can make sure no one in our community goes without this Christmas.

Donate or Learn More

The waratahs that bloom in October were spectacular this season. We sent so many bunches to cafes, our Waratah Wednesday promo, florists and directly to some special weddings.

Directly on the heels of cutting waratahs we are planting out the new flower beds with seedlings for summer blooms. It won’t be long before we have cosmos, delphinium, stock, snapdragons, sunflowers, dahlias and many other annuals.

We recently spent the day digging up, dividing and planting out our dahlias into new beds. The Friday volunteer team works hard in rain and shine to see the garden become all that it can be.

We are all looking forward to supplying your summer blooms through Hyper Hyper Coffee, Flour Water Salt, and The Local Jervis Bay, along with some specialised florists in the area. All purchases of flowers directly supports the work that Salt Care does in the community.

Don’t forget to follow us @sassafrasflowersau on Facebook and Instagram and keep an eye out for when the cafes are restocked with bouquets.

Meg and the Flower Farm Team

On the 18th of October our Housing Manager, Daniel Laughton, married his long-time partner Rachel Lord.

It was such an honour to officiate their wedding and celebrate this beautiful commitment of two very special people. We wish them all the best for their future together!!

Pete Dover

We’re putting a call out to all local businesses, schools, social groups and clubs to see if you’d like to partner with us in providing Christmas hampers to members of our community who are doing it tough.

Each year we prepare big, festive hampers filled with nutritious food to share with families in need – and last year, thanks to the generosity of our community, we were able to give out 400 hampers!

This year, the need is even greater. With the rising costs of food, petrol, rent, and mortgages, many families are struggling to make ends meet. At our Salt Store, we are now seeing close to 200 families every week seeking help with food. We have the goal of preparing 400 hampers again this year – and we need your help to make it happen.

We believe every family deserves to enjoy Christmas together, without the heavy burden of financial stress. With your help, we can once again provide hampers brimming with good food to bring joy and relief this festive season. Our aim is to provide hampers filled with nutritious, festive food to help make their Christmas a little brighter.

Here’s how you can help:
👉 Host a food drive to collect non-perishable items for our hampers.
👉 Drop off donations at the Salt Base (5–19 Birriley St, Bomaderry) between Tuesday–Thursday, 9am–3pm.
👉 Please ensure all donations are received by Tuesday, 3rd December.

If you’d like to be involved, please email me at [email protected] or call me on 02 4480 5028.

Together, we can make Christmas brighter for hundreds of local families.

In October we had the joy of gathering at the Nowra Showground to celebrate and thank our wonderful volunteers – the true heart and hands of Salt. Every day, our volunteers give so generously of their time, energy, and compassion across all areas of our work – in the Salt Store, the Homeless Shelter, the Wellness Farm, and our Church. Each of you plays an important part in helping us care for our community, and we simply couldn’t do what we do without you.

The afternoon was filled with smiles, laughter, and heartfelt appreciation. Everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch together, along with free coffee from Delilah and tasty ice creams from South Coast Soft Serve – a big thank you to them for their generosity in helping us make the day extra special.

It was a beautiful time to pause and reflect on how much we can achieve when we come together in kindness and service. To all our amazing volunteers – thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the difference you make every single day.

Donna