A NEW Facebook group is bringing the neighbourly tradition of food, produce, and leftovers sharing into an online setting with the aim of battling food insecurity.<\/p>\n
While out at her Warrenheip property, Kelly Bevan said the idea to start the Ballarat Virtual Pantry was to her \u201ca bolt of lightning moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen lots of food pantries and I thought wouldn\u2019t it be great to have something like that but virtual where people have something within their own neighbourhood,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s been a lot of posts about food security with families struggling.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor us, there\u2019s that theory of we live out in the country so we can go next door to get a cup of sugar.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe still have that neighbourly vibe out here and it\u2019d be nice to create that more within the town.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s also about sustainability. You don\u2019t have to go across town to get a food hamper if someone\u2019s got something close by.\u201d<\/p>\n
Launched in mid-November, the Ballarat Virtual Pantry is a platform for people to share their surplus food and produce for others to collect and make use of.<\/p>\n
Though she said it\u2019s the first time she\u2019s endeavoured something like the virtual pantry, Ms Bevan has spent years donating leftover eggs from her small chicken coop to friends, families, and neighbours.<\/p>\n
With 300 members joining the group within its first week, Ms Bevan said the initiative looks to be a much-needed one.<\/p>\n
\u201cStraight away people were jumping on and made an effort to look into their cupboards to put things up,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s been a lot of activity already of people dropping off and collecting food. I\u2019m hoping it\u2019s something that will build more over time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Bevan said she has ideas for how the initiative can develop.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would be great to have drop off zones at different spots during the week where a non-profit can take things in say, Sebastopol on a Monday and Ballarat East on a Tuesday,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re thinking this can go right up to the outskirts of Ballarat, anywhere within a short drive. I\u2019d be keen to see the page replicated in other areas. I only found one thing similar to this in Sydney.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A NEW Facebook group is bringing the neighbourly tradition of food, produce, and leftovers sharing into an online setting with the aim of battling food insecurity. While out at her Warrenheip property, Kelly Bevan said the idea to start the Ballarat Virtual Pantry was to her \u201ca bolt of lightning moment.\u201d \u201cI\u2019ve seen lots of […]<\/p>\n