DRYSDALE Family Support Foodbank has launched a Winter Appeal to help keep up with increased demand as locals face expensive heating bills.<\/p>\n
Co-ordinator Jake Hogendoorn said the Foodbank was regularly under pressure to survive on its budget, but during winter it became even more of a struggle as clients battled to keep up with their regular groceries.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur budget takes into account donations, from community groups, churches, schools, businesses, individuals and grants from Give Where You Live, but at the moment we are about $4,000 down on the same time last year,\u201d Mr Hogendoorn said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have recently had our own volunteers topping up our food resources, which is great, but not something we expect them to do all the time.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are really in need of groceries, produce and money donations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Hogendoorn said a few years ago the Foodbank was helping people right across Geelong, but in 2016 he put a boundary at Boundary Road in Newcomb, to help make the demand more manageable.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis originally dropped our demand by about 25 per cent,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut since then it has increased just on the Bellarine by about 25 to 30 per cent.<\/p>\n
\u201cClients are finding it tougher and tougher.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Hogendoorn said the Winter Appeal would focus on the month of June, and a flyer highlighting the work of the Foodbank, along with how people could help would be dropped in letterboxes across the Bellarine during the second half of the month.<\/p>\n
Mr Hogendoorn said each Tuesday, families attended the foodbank to receive a parcel that equated to five days\u2019 worth of food, which included frozen meat, bread, eggs, cheese, fresh vegetables and fruit, plus packaged and refrigerated goods.<\/p>\n
He said emergency parcels were also available any day of the week.<\/p>\n
Mr Hogendoorn put the increase down to relationship breakdowns and domestic violence, and said many elderly clients were finding it hard for their pensions to make ends meet.<\/p>\n
If you can donate food or finance, phone Jake Hogendoorn on 0402 410 232 or email jakeh@ dcchurch.org.au.<\/p>\n
Or, donate directly to Bendigo Bank, BSB 633 000, account number 118464429. Gifts over $2 are tax deductible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DRYSDALE Family Support Foodbank has launched a Winter Appeal to help keep up with increased demand as locals face expensive heating bills. Co-ordinator Jake Hogendoorn said the Foodbank was regularly under pressure to survive on its budget, but during winter it became even more of a struggle as clients battled to keep up with their […]<\/p>\n