LEADER of the Nationals Peter Walsh last week promised $1.5 million in funding to assist the partnership between The Ballarat Foundation and Foodbank Victoria to help build a food distribution centre in the Ballarat West Employment Zone.<\/p>\n
This funding will secure delivery of stage one of the project.<\/p>\n
The total cost for stage one is $3.5 million which will cover the purchase of the land and the construction and fit out of the food hub.<\/p>\n
The Ballarat Foundation CEO Matt Jenkins said the project is very much alive but it does need a boost from government to make it a reality.<\/p>\n
Foodbank, the largest non-profit food distribution network in the state, provides critical support to vulnerable Victorians, with more than 8 million kilograms of food distributed in 2016-17, the equivalent of putting more than 14 million meals on tables for people in need.<\/p>\n
The Ballarat Foundation, established by the Board of United Way Ballarat in 2001, exists to make a positive and lasting difference to people in the Ballarat region, which has needs which are not being met through other funding sources.<\/p>\n
Mr Walsh said a 45 per cent increase in the amount of food coming into the Ballarat region from Foodbank\u2019s Melbourne centre over the last three years validates the desperate need for the new infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Member for Ripon Louise Staley said this Foodbank distribution hub will be transformative for the 12 per cent of people in Ballarat suffering from food insecurity.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will help to relieve pressure on local charities, providing a space to source, store, and distribute food more efficiently to people in need in the community,\u201d said Ms Staley.<\/p>\n
Liberal candidate for Wendouree Amy Johnson said the centre will make sure families and local residents who need this service can get assistance close to home.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to make sure people who need support in our community can get it,\u201d said Ms Johnson.<\/p>\n
The Ballarat Foundation chair Wayne Weire said the initial construction on the 1.4-hectare site will be a distribution centre providing non-perishable, chilled, frozen and fresh food capable of handling deliveries from B-doubles.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile the project has received support at both federal and state level, to have one group today say we will support this with funding – that is a huge thing,\u201d said Mr Weire.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LEADER of the Nationals Peter Walsh last week promised $1.5 million in funding to assist the partnership between The Ballarat Foundation and Foodbank Victoria to help build a food distribution centre in the Ballarat West Employment Zone. This funding will secure delivery of stage one of the project. The total cost for stage one is […]<\/p>\n