The van aims to fill in gaps of the local support system and will be sent out to help people who are homeless, struggling or living rough.

People in need will be given things like groceries blankets swags, tea and coffee toiletries.

The community funded van will be operated by volunteers and coordinated by the Salt Ministries in Bomaderry.

Pastors Peter and Meg Dover from Salt Ministries put forward the proposal for the van at the Shark Tank event held earlier this year.

They can’t wait for the van’s launch date on October 10 to come around.

“It really is a chance to sit down and chat to people and work out their needs,” Pastor Peter said.

“It will evolve and they are a couple of food vans that go around to different places now and that is great.

“We wanted to offer something else like giving them groceries that will last them a week.”

He said van will be virtually on call and ready to respond to calls for assistance.

“That is why we call it a mobility response vehicle because if we have a call from council or a call from any other service group who knows of a family living rough then we will go, give and see what we can do,” he said.

“We are trying to keep things loose at the moment so we can go and see what is out there and then expand it.”

He wanted to stress that the van was not owned by Salt Ministries - it belonged to the community.

“The great thing is this is something the community can say yeah I really like and it's also sponsored by all these people in the community,” he said

“That is what I love about it - it’s about bringing the community together for an issue that is a community issue.”

Both pastors added that homelessness is not seasonal and happens all year round.

Pastor Meg said they want people to be involved in helping others in need.

People can volunteer to be part it the van’s team or the Thursday community days at their Bomaderry facility.

“We would love to have people volunteer for coming out in the van but also volunteering at Saltbox each Thursday because we are are always in need of people who are willing to cook a meal, come and help set up, give out clothing or groceries,” Pastor Meg said.

“The beautiful thing about it we have a whole lot of unique people who come into volunteer all the time with different skills which want to utilise.

“We have a massage therapist for example who comes in and offers free 10 minute massages.

“Many people have crook necks and backs and they are also getting their shoulders fixed from the massages.”

Basically they are always looking for more helpers.

“If people have skills they feel they would like to donate to people who are struggling then we would be more than happy to accommodate them,” Pastor Meg said.

If people want to find out more about volunteering in the van or at Saltbox they can contact info@saltministries.org.au and they do have have some requirements for their volunteers which includes some training.

Pastor Meg said sometimes they feed up to 100 people and so the more helpers they get the better.

They prepare nice hearty meals for people in need from their commercial kitchen in their 5-19 Brilliey Street, Bomaderry base.

They would be happy if people from restaurants, wanting to help people who are struggling, to come in when they can.