Bellarine Springs community helps out Drysdale Foodbank

THE community at Bellarine Springs have helped Drysdale Family Support Foodbank restock its shelves for the coming months, raising a $4,000 donation for the vital service.

Organisers put together a raffle with prizes and donations from generous local businesses over the past few weeks, and collected boxes of food and household donations on November 28.

Drysdale Foodbank co-ordinator and Drysdale Community Church pastor Jake Hogendoorn was invited to the Bellarine Springs Community Centre on Tuesday this week to officially receive the donation and draw the winning tickets in the raffle.

Fundraiser organiser Alan Nettley said the Bellarine Springs community had been long-time supporters of the Drysdale Family Support Foodbank.

“We did a bit of a fundraiser last year, and we filled up three or four vehicles with food donations from the residents as well.”

He said this year, he approached local businesses for their help, and received $1,200 worth of raffle prizes and another $600 worth of items to auction.

“Mortimers, Brown Sugar, my mechanic gave me a $300 voucher… we had a lot of support from local businesses. Tavids [Print Group] printed the tickets for nothing.

“And we had every book [of tickets] sold, my golf club, Clifton Springs, bought the last 10 books.”

Drysdale Family Support Foodbank has been especially busy in recent months, with the rise in the cost of living causing a spike in demand.

This year, the foodbank is on track to provide more than 1,400 food parcels, each containing about five days of groceries for their clients.

Mr Nettley thanked those who helped him put the fundraiser together as well as the management of Bellarine Springs for their assistance.

“It’s not been that bad, really – it’s just a matter of getting it organised and getting it rolling,” he said.

“Once you get it rolling, the tickets fly out.”

The Drysdale Family Support Foodbank is encouraging people in the community to be generous and donate what they can.Donations can be made to Drysdale Family Support, Bendigo Bank, BSB 633 000, ACCOUNT 118464429.

Donations of food can be taken to Drysdale Community Church, 276-290 Jetty Road, Curlewis. For more information on the foodbank service, head to dcchurch.org.au/family-support