Update from Feed Me Surf Coast
Newsletter
Community food rescue program, Feed Me Surf Coast, is as busy as ever, supporting a growing number of people needing emergency food relief. It’s a whole community effort, ensuring the workload is spread around to many generous members of the surf coast region who have been putting their hands up to help.
In high demand, Feed Me Surf Coast is delivering meals to more than 100 local families every week from Armstrong Creek to Anglesea, Breamlea to Buckley. These are families who have lost work or income due to COVID-19 and this number is expected to grow, especially after JobKeeper finishes on September 1.
Another group needing support is the international workers on temporary visas who came to Australia on a working holiday and have now lost their jobs. They are not eligible for any government support and must rely on the kindness of strangers for survival. Twice a week Feed Me Surf Coast delivers meals to 110 of these unemployed workers who are living in Lorne.
International students studying at Deakin University is another vulnerable group. These students have lost their part-time and casual jobs and do not receive any entitlements from the government. Around 80 of these students receive meals from Feed Me Surf Coast each week. Without these meals, many of them would not be able to afford to eat.
Woolworths Torquay North employees have rolled up their sleeves and pitched in to help Feed Me Surf Coast, throwing their support behind the charity that helps so many vulnerable members of their community. Manager, Chris Goodman, says that it’s a pleasure to help make a difference to people’s lives during such difficult circumstances for many people.
Whilst Feed Me Surf Coast is garnering lots of community support, it is struggling to find a permanent home. With the recent easing of restrictions, Torquay Surf Club is soon to return to its usual activities, after serving as a storage and sorting facility for Feed Me during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Feed Me is looking for an empty warehouse space of approximately 200 square metres, with truck access (industrial zone 1-3) in the Torquay area. The charity will need some rent relief for the next three months, but will be self-sufficient after that time and able to pay rent long-term.
If you are in need of a food parcel, or able to help out with a warehouse space, donations or volunteering, please click here.
This story was originally published in Libby's June Newsletter. Please click here to subscribe to the email newsletter.
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