Feed Me runs food drive as Christmas nears

NOT-for-profit food charity Feed Me is holding a food drive in the lead-up to Christmas, and is welcoming donations from anyone and everyone.

The three arms of the charity located in Ocean Grove, Torquay and Newtown have issued a call-out for the items most needed for distribution to people and families in need across the Geelong region.

“The incoming food that we’re getting is not as great as it used to be; we aren’t getting the amounts we need to take care of the community,” Feed Me founder and chief executive officer Lana Purcell said.

“And we know that people think that we’ve got other relationships, but we really do depend on individuals and businesses, schools and corporations doing food drives for us.

“We want to make it understood that anyone can donate this food to us, and then we can share it with the people in the community that need it.”

She said a post on social media about the food drive had helped a little.

“We’ve got hairdressers, beauticians, we’ve got school groups, all these groups of friends who are taking note, and it’s just been amazing.”

Demand for Feed Me Bellarine, Feed Me Geelong and Feed Me Surf Coast’s services is increasing, as expected, as Christmas draws closer.

“We’ve got clients and people accessing our service, and they might both be working in jobs, but they still want to give their kids a Christmas, and they still want to be able to have some kind of joy, and so money is tight just to feed themselves,” Ms Purcell said.

“They’re choosing between ‘Do we give our kids a Christmas or do we keep feeding our family?’; it’s really hard.

“Grapes the other day in the supermarket were $22 – it’s just ridiculous, people can’t afford that any more.”

Feed Me’s list of most needed items include:

• Cereal
• Tea, coffee and sugar
• Condiments
• Museli bars, dried fruit and nuts
• Rice, pasta and noodles
• Spreads
• Canned fruit, spaghetti and baked beans
• Long life milk and juice, and
• Canned and shelf-stable ready-made meals and soup.

Ms Purcell said donations could be dropped off at Feed Me Bellarine, 24 Sinclair Street, Ocean Grove seven days a week “any time the gate is open”, which is generally between 7am and 5pm.

For more information, head to feedme.org.au