$1 million boost to fuel Feed Me food supports

LOCAL food charity Feed Me Bellarine would receive a million-dollar-boost to deliver more food to local residents in need under an elected Coalition Government.

Bellarine candidate Donnie Grigau was in Ocean Grove this week to visit the service’s Sinclair Street headquarters and announce the pledge alongside incumbent Polwarth MP Richard Riordan and South Barwon candidate Andrew Katos.

The Bellarine hub is at the centre of the respected Feed Me network that also services across Geelong and the Surf Coast.

The $1 million cash commitment would upgrade the Sinclair Street hub’s kitchen and provide an updated delivery van fleet to get more help across the Bellarine and surrounding communities.

“This announcement is helping grow the vitally needed work of Feed Me Bellarine and will be a much-needed boost in improving their services for people in hardship, particularly those who would otherwise have slipped through the cracks in our community,” Mr Grigau said.

“Feed Me Bellarine will be able to upgrade their fleet of vans which are used for rescuing food and sourcing donations, as well as for the reliable delivery of food to those many in need in the community.”

“With improved kitchen facilities at Ocean Grove, volunteers at Feed Me Bellarine will be able to produce more meals, which ultimately are delivered throughout the entire greater

Geelong region. No one should go without. I believe we should give and help where needed without question or judgment so we all can enjoy more productive, fulfilling lives.”

Feed Me Bellarine sources donated food from across the local community including rescues for major food outlets, which it converts into meals and sells at its Wasted market to raise money for its services.

The food service presently has 420 volunteers and delivers to 2,000 families in the Geelong region, feeding 10,000 people.

Each week, it rescues 40 to 50 tonnes of food and produces 7,000 chef cooked meals while daily it serves 150 people at its market and receives up to 50 calls for emergency help.