Background

Background on the JEF

Who is Jeff Gambin?

JEF Facts and Figures

Just Enough Faith

Established in 1993, Just Enough Faith is run by former restaurateur Jeff Gambin and his wife Alina Gambin, and a small team of volunteers to who feed Sydney’s growing hordes of homeless people.

Over 20 per cent people choose to be homeless, 45% are mentally ill, but the remaining 35% are just poor and destitute who simply need a break.

Seven days a week, 12 months a year, they serve more than 400 hot meals a night out of their van primary drawing on their own funds and relying on goodwill of food suppliers to cover the remaining 20%.

However, their objective is much more than just feeding the homeless. Its about giving them hope and helping them regain respect by counselling and where possible housing.

To date Jeff and Alina spend considerable time scanning newspapers for job advertisements, assist their protégés to prepare for interviews, and speak to the prospective employers asking them to give them a go.

In addition to serving meals and funding homes and jobs, they also run a 25-acre farm out of Sydney with the assistance of volunteers and former homeless people who now have a purpose in life helping others.

The idea is for the farm to be self-sufficient with vegetables and livestock and be a place for homeless to get some dignity back and learn some life-skills along the way.

Just enough faith has no religious bent and receives no government funding whatsoever. With approximately $15,000 a week in operating expenses, Jeff and Alina Gambin have spent over $7.5 million of their own money since starting the initiative.

However times are getting tough for the couple and they need to supplement their own funds with outside financial, equipment and produce assistance. It will be the first time they are actively seeking corporate financial assistance since they started their labour of love in 1993.

In recognition of his endeavours Jeff Gambin has been honoured with the following awards over the years:

Jeff Gambin - Director and Founder

Jeff was born in 1948 in India, was educated in English schools in India and later graduated in entomology at Cambridge University. He also became a qualified chef and obtained a commercial pilot's license. Many years later and with a lot of hard work he became a very successful businessman who owned several top restaurants in Sydney.

When a commercial partnership was taking the wrong turn he found himself contemplating his professional future on a park bench in Sydney's CBD one windy winters night. This is when a homeless man, mistaking Jeff for a homeless person, offered him his only blanket.
"What about you?", Jeff protested.
"I'm used to the cold", the man replied walking away.
Jeff felt humbled. This man gave me what was probably his most valuable possession without a second thought, he realised. His own problems did not seem so important any more.

From that day onwards Jeff has been providing hot meals to the growing number of homeless and hungry people in the streets of Sydney - and he has NEVER MISSED A DAY.

JEF Facts and Figures

Since its inception in 1993, Just Enough Faith has successfully:

• taken more than 1200 individuals off the streets and helped them find meaningful work and permanent housing,
• returned 30 children to school and has seen to it that they obtain a School Certificate,
• aided some 50 individuals in kicking their addictions (gambling, alcohol and other drugs), and
• reunited a good dozen individuals with their families.

On a daily basis, the operation of Just Enough Faith provides:

• more than 400 kilos of wholesome and healthy cooked food for more than 400 people,
• housing, clothing and food for up to 20 individuals,
• clothing, blankets and non-prescription medicines for the homeless,
• assistance with legal and medical aid,
• professional and life skills development,
• help with obtaining employement,
• active involvement in the operation to facilitate re-integration into the workforce
• computer courses for the less fortunate that are run on a Sunday afternoon for a 12 week period.