Released 22/06/2024
Stasia Dabrowski (1926-2020), a volunteer who ran a mobile soup kitchen feeding thousands from a corner of Garema Place, will be honoured with a new sculpture as part of the ACT Government’s recognition of significant Canberra women through the public art collection.
Every Friday night in Garema Place from 1982 until 2018 she served homemade soup, bread and drinks to people in need. She also gave out a lot of hugs. No mean feat, Stasia had to peel and cook 180 kilograms of vegetables every Thursday to get ready for the Friday night lineup. Stasia babysat at night and cleaned houses during the day to earn enough to buy the ingredients.
Word soon spread and by 2000, she was providing several hundred loaves of bread and at least 100 litres of homemade vegetable soup to over 300 people each Friday night. By 2005, the numbers grew to 500 and she was soon helped by grandson Josh Kenworthy who remembers her as a humble soul who shied away from publicity and just wanted to lend a hand. Stasia’s personal generosity was eventually supported by a number of Canberra-based organisations, including the Snow Foundation.
The ACT Government has committed $300,000 for an artwork celebrating the achievements of a significant woman by an artist/s who are women or gender diverse/non-binary. This follows the previous announcement of the commissioning of a statue of the late Honourable Susan Ryan AO, which will be unveiled in the Senate Rose Garden later this year.
A tender process will open soon to engage an artist to create the artwork honouring Stasia. The sculpture will be completed and installed in Garema Place in early 2026.
Minister Cheyne said honouring Stasia was an obvious choice, acknowledging her enormous contribution to many of Canberra’s most vulnerable.
“Stasia Dabrowski’s own life was far from easy. Her own early experiences without running water, wood or gas for heat or food in a Polish village before WWII, left her with a real desire to help others. Thousands of Canberrans were recipients of that compassion.”
She won numerous awards and accolades for her charity work, including 1996 Canberra Citizen of the Year, 1999 ACT Senior Australian of the Year, 2017 ACT Local Hero of the Year and carrying the Olympic torch, but Stasia remained humble about the work she was doing.
"I never keep photos because I am not proud... the soup kitchen is a simple thing, people cooking veggies, nothing special," she said at the time.
Quote attributable to Josh Kenworthy, Stasia’s grandson:
“My Nan was a humble soul who shied away from publicity and just wanted to lend a hand. That's how she was brought up - that you just help people. She was always giving and always asking if people needed anything. It’s great, the statue is something that will be there forever in Garema Place and this way, Nan’s work will definitely be remembered.”
Quote attributable to Snow Foundation CEO, Georgina Byron:
“Our family has much love and admiration for Stasia. Terry first met her in 2006 and the memories of her will always stay with him. She was a true hero whose unwavering dedication to making a difference in helping the city's most vulnerable was inspiring. A statue and recognition of Stasia's tireless work in the community is a wonderful tribute.”
More information on the public art commissioning process is available from arts ACT on 02 6207 2384 or on the website at www.arts.act.gov.au/public-art
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Tara Cheyne, MLA | Media Releases