Every Wednesday at the Wyndham Vale Community Learning Centre, Manor Lakes Foodbank distributes produce to about 40 families across the west.
A group of 12 volunteers from Newstart Church of Christ spends a couple of hours selecting and packing individualised food boxes.
Each recipient is provided with enough food and goods to feed themselves or their family. They come once a fortnight, for up to three months.
In some cases, when a family is desperate to get through their “off” week, they wait at the end of the Foodbank line until everyone else has had their pick, then take what’s left.
People are coming from as far as Melton, but volunteers are trying to keep the membership base strictly to Wyndham.
Volunteer Malcolm Lloyd said the foodbank helped out families who are struggling financially for a variety of reasons, including new migrants, people who have fled abusive relationships, the elderly and people battling addictions.
“We try not to turn anyone away,” Mr Lloyd said.
“If we can save someone by giving them something to eat, then we’re doing something right. We’re doing what we can to do as much as we can.”
His wife Linda added: “We’re feeding more people than we have in our congregation.”
Meanwhile, fellow volunteer Chantel Fastuca runs a “clothing bank” alongside the foodbank. As well as clothing, the second ‘bank’ includes toys, books and homewares.
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