Call to support centre’s festive food drive

STAFF at Meredith Community Centre are encouraging people to get into the season of giving, having launched their Christmas Food Drive on Wednesday last week.

As part of the initiative, the community is invited to drop off non-perishable Christmas foods like chocolates, puddings, and mince pies to the centre until the end of November.

Centre manager Leah Phillips said the program is a great way to utilise their recently opened Meredith Mart food support space for the holidays.

“Everybody’s doing it so tough lately,” she said.

“We want to bring joy to everybody through Christmas and give everyone the opportunity to have some nice food for the festive season.”

The food drive is replacing the centre’s annual Christmas giving tree, which Ms Phillips previously ran for four years.

“The giving tree is, I guess a little more expensive for people,” Ms Philips said.

“So it’s a changeup for money as well so people could afford to buy a little box of chocolates rather than buying something like a toy to put under the tree.”

From now until Thursday 30 November, people will be able to drop off items at the centre during operating hours from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Thursday.

Once the drive is closed, the food will be shelved at the Meredith Mart the following week for people to anonymously collect items from, or nominate a struggling family to have the goods delivered to.

Ms Phillips said the Meredith Mart has been a well-used asset since its establishment.

“It’s been amazing,” she said. “I can’t believe how many families are using it, and it’s so lovely to know we’re ensuring people are getting food.

“We’ve done many, many orders with Foodbank [the mart’s regular supplier]. We’ve got to constantly restock the shelves and people are bringing in bits and pieces all the time.

“It was certainly a needed thing for the community.”