Australian City Names Adventist Pastor Community Citizen of the Year

A community service initiative led by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Perth, Western Australia, was recently honored with two prestigious awards by the City of Swan.

Midland Meals, Inc., received the Active Citizenship Award, and its cofounder—Swan Valley Adventist Church pastor Loren Pratt—was named Community Citizen of the Year, acknowledging their tireless efforts in addressing food insecurity. “It’s a bit numbing, because I don’t do it for [an award],” Pratt said. “I do it for that one person out there who’s lonely, hungry, hurting, and needing support. I’m there for that person, and that’s my award.”

Founded in 2019, Midland Meals has grown into a seven-nights-a-week operation feeding hundreds in need, rain or shine—even on Christmas Day and at Easter. What started as a small ministry has become a widespread effort involving more than 210 volunteers, including members from Swan Valley and nearby Adventist churches, other faith groups, and the wider community.

During the past year the group has experienced a significant increase in demand. “There’s been about a 30 percent increase in the numbers [of people] we are feeding,” Pratt said. “The demographics have shifted too. It used to be mostly people on the street. Now it’s people living in cars, couch surfing, staying in sheds—the cost-of-living crisis is really starting to bite.”

Midland Meals runs simultaneous nightly meal services in Midland and Ellenbrook. It also operates daytime meal sessions twice a week in Bassendean. It has recently formed a partnership with St. John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals for the next 12 months. As their nominated charity, St. John of God Hospitals are providing volunteers and fundraising support.

“It allows us to extend our reach further into the community, because an institution like St. John of God Hospitals believes in what we do and wants to support us,” Pratt explained. “The value this adds to our ministry is just enormous.”

Beyond the practical support of serving meals, Midland Meals offers connection and hope. Pratt shared that one night while cooking at the barbecue, a man walked up to him and said, “I just want to thank you for what you’ve done for me in the last year and a half. I’d be dead if it wasn’t for you guys.” Then he said, “I think you should change your name to Heaven’s Kitchen.”

“That’s what keeps me going—knowing we’re making a real difference,” Pratt said.

“You never touch a person without leaving a trace,” he added. “I just want to show them Jesus—not necessarily by preaching but by loving them.”

The original version of this story was posted on Adventist Record.