Vinnies, FoodBank chip in big at food donation site

GIVING continues flow freely at the city’s emergency food drop off location with organisations and individuals digging deep to support people in need.

In the first week of operation the drive-thru donation site at the back of the Ballarat Library received over 1000 items from people keen to help, and that was before two major charities stepped in to support the campaign.

Late last week FoodBank, the nation’s largest food relief agency, donated two pallet loads of supplies. Shortly after Ballarat’s St Vincent de Paul society dropped off 25 boxes of staples for international students from FedUni left without work and with no access to public welfare programs.

“I would like to thank Foodbank for this wonderful donation which will really help the people in Ballarat who may not have money for food at the moment, or who may not be able to access groceries or food for some reason,” City of Ballarat mayor Cr Ben Taylor said.

“It adds to the wonderful donations already received over the past week from the Ballarat community, who have really opened their hearts to the less fortunate through simple things, like packets of soup or rice or even beanies for winter warmth.”

The boxes given by Vinnies were prepared by the organisation’s Melbourne office and sent up the highway.

While the charity more often takes donations and distributes them themselves, rather than giving away to other groups, regional president Alan West said the emergency food drop fitted will with Vinnies ethos.

“What we normally are offer vouchers to people during home visits, or in better times, that come into our centre,” he said. “We do all sorts of activities for people in need. We give them a hand up as we can.

“When I heard about the need for overseas students, I got in touch with our hierarchy in Melbourne and they packed these boxes up for the cause.”

Like many others in the community, Mr West said Vinnies had been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent flow on effects.

Many of the agency’s distinctive op shops had been forced to close, although the three Ballarat locations remained open. However, those sites are currently not able to accept donations of goods for safety reasons.

“We’re finding that now the cold weather has come and the lockdown has kicked in we’re getting very, very busy,” Mr West said. “People are looking for material needs such as bedding, blankets, that sort of thing.

“We rely on donations from the public, we don’t get government assistance. If people are able to donate they can go into a Vinnies store and donate some money. That would be wonderful because we are going to find it very tight in coming weeks.”

The City of Ballarat’s emergency food relief drop-off point is open weekdays, between 10am and 12pm, in the Ballarat Library loading dock with entry via Market Street on the Armstrong Street side.

The site is collecting non-perishable food items including flour, tinned fruit and vegetables, long life milk, rice, tuna, soups, tea, coffee, pasta and pasta sauces as well as personal hygiene products.