Region sees increased need

MORE community members are seeking out food relief as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be felt across the region.

Bendigo Family and Financial Services is seeing about 50 families a day for food relief when last year it was only about 30, and the organisation expects that number will continue to rise over the next year.

BFFS received a $26,500 grant from the State Government’s Food Relief Financial Reserve last year, which general manager Jenny Elvey said allowed them to stay open during the costly Christmas season and provide food assistance into the new year.

“It meant that we could purchase fresh meat, which we did from a local supermarket which keeps the money in Bendigo, and we also purchased vouchers,” she said.

“It also meant that we could get the food out to those in the community that couldn’t make it into the agency to pick up parcels.”

Doors were also open for the first time during the holiday season at Eaglehawk and Kangaroo Flat community houses.

The organisations received a combined $40,000 in funding for vouchers and their existing food relief program which includes community meals, fruit boxes for struggling families and a pantry hamper program.

Centre manager of both sites Tracey Moss said that with about 300 weekly visitors, the community houses could support an additional 50 people with vouchers.

“There’s something really significant with the vouchers because it provides people with freedom of choice to be able to purchase things that they actually need themselves and it gives them more independence, too,” she said.

However, a waitlist for BFFS’ financial counselling service has built over the last couple of months as Ms Elvey said people were experiencing increased financial pressures like the end of hardship agreements for payments and the return of petrol costs for school runs now that classrooms are open.

“It all links in together. If they’re struggling, there’s always going to be issues with food,” she said.

Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan, who visited Eaglehawk Community House last week, said food relief was critically important during the pandemic and the funding was designed to bolster the local networks.

“We recognise that there is a need to continue to provide ongoing support and that’s why there’s the Food Relief Taskforce that’s been established,” she said.

“This is looking at how, across a statewide level, we can provide systematic support.”