At Kebabs on Bell, October was a particularly special month for us. Alongside continuing our Foundation work, we celebrated 40 years of our family business and had the opportunity to give something back to the community that's supported us along the way.
Through our Foundation, we've committed to putting $1 from every kebab sold towards charities, community initiatives and projects we support. Each month, we share a little about where that support is going and what it's helping make possible.
From celebrating with our local customers to supporting education overseas, here's what October looked like for Kebabs on Bell.
40 Years of Kebabs on Bell, 100 Free Kebabs
On 27 October, we celebrated 40 years of Kebabs on Bell by giving away 100 free kebabs to our community.
Since our family's journey in the kebab business began in 1986, we've had generations of customers come through our doors. Some have been visiting us for years, while others have only recently discovered the shop. Either way, we're grateful for everyone who's been part of the journey.
To mark the occasion, we invited customers down to our Heidelberg West shop from 5pm, with the first 100 people able to enjoy a free kebab of their choice.
It was our way of saying thank you to the people who've supported our family and helped make Kebabs on Bell what it is today.
We also wanted to use the celebration as an opportunity to bring attention to some of the causes we support. Customers were welcome to make an optional donation to BANSIC, Heidelberg Mosque or the Lombok Hospital initiative, with no donation required to receive a free kebab.
For us, celebrating 40 years was about more than reaching a business milestone. It was an opportunity to recognise the community that's been part of our story and share a little of that appreciation through the food we love making.
$3,000 Towards Education for Children in Sabah
Another contribution made during October was a $3,000 donation to MyFundAction, supporting an education initiative for stateless children in Sabah, Malaysia.
Through friends involved in the project, Furkan learned about efforts to improve access to education for children who face challenges attending school.
The initiative is working towards creating better learning environments through new classrooms, school resources and support for teachers.
Furkan became the project's first sponsor, contributing $3,000 towards the development of a new school.
Education has become an important part of our Foundation work, particularly following the completion of our school project in Lombok.
We've seen how much difference a dedicated learning space and basic classroom resources can make, and we're grateful to have another opportunity to contribute towards children's education.
Continuing Our Support for BANSIC
Closer to home, we've continued our ongoing support for BANSIC, a local organisation helping people and families experiencing hardship.
Our regular contribution of $200 every fortnight remains in place, helping BANSIC continue providing food and essential assistance to people in our community.
This relationship is particularly important to us because Heidelberg West and the surrounding suburbs have supported our family business for so many years.
We want to continue supporting organisations that are already doing important work locally and understand the needs of the people they're helping.
Alongside our regular contributions, we're also looking for opportunities to get more involved in BANSIC's community activities and events.
Supporting Local Community Services
In our September update, we shared that Furkan had donated a Hyundai iLoad van, valued at approximately $15,000–$20,000, to support Preston Mosque's funeral services.
The vehicle is intended to help transport the deceased and provide additional capacity for the mosque's existing funeral service.
During October, work was progressing towards fitting out the van with the necessary equipment and trolleys to safely transport caskets.
Furkan has also committed to covering the fit-out costs, estimated at approximately $5,000, although this payment had not yet been made at the time of our October update.
It's another project we're continuing to follow as the vehicle is prepared for use.
Looking Towards Future Projects
While October included several contributions, we're also looking ahead to other ways we may be able to support communities in need.
Furkan has been invited to attend a fundraising dinner supporting a mosque development project, with the possibility of making a further contribution once the details and funding are confirmed.
We're also continuing to explore opportunities to support medical care in Lombok, building on the school and water well projects completed earlier this year.
Improving access to healthcare remains an important long-term goal, particularly through our connection with local medical professionals who understand the community's needs.
As these plans develop, we'll continue sharing updates about what's happening and how we're getting involved.
Thank You for 40 Years
October was a reminder of just how much our community means to us.
From celebrating 40 years with 100 free kebabs to helping support another school project overseas, we're grateful to be in a position where our family business can contribute to something beyond the shop.
As always, $1 from every kebab sold continues to go towards the causes and projects we support.
To everyone who's visited us over the years, brought their family in for dinner, recommended us to a friend or supported one of our Foundation initiatives, thank you.
Here's to 40 years of good food, good people and giving back to the community that's given us so much. ❤️
