By Alesha Capone
The founder of a Wyndham community charity group says the number of people seeking assistance has soared since the first pandemic lockdown started in March.
Melisa Wright said that she started Wyndham Hearts in Hands in January 2018, after she noticed a gap in services available, including to mothers fleeing violent homes.
Ms Wright said that while a lot of charities only help people who possess a concession card,
Wyndham Hearts in Hands – which relies on donations from the community, for items including clothing, furniture, white goods and food – will help out any Wyndham resident.
Ms Wright said Wyndham Hearts in Hands also started getting deliveries from OzHarvest in 2018, allowing the group to start giving fruit and vegetables out to people in need every Wednesday.
Ms Wright said that since the pandemic lockdown began, demand for “Fruit and Veg Wednesdays” had tripled.
“We used to get about 20 families thru, now we have more than 60 families, we were lucky that OzHarvest started their essential boxes so we were able to keep up to some of the demand,” she said.
“A big chunk of those seeking help at the moment have lost their jobs fully, there are some families who only need help on a fortnightly basis due to only losing some hours.”
Ms Wright said that when she started Wyndham Hearts in Hands, she was the sole operator, but now she has three administrators helping her out, including her main volunteer Heather.
“She is the one who delivers bread to those who don’t drive, and she makes meals and makes sure a group of oldies have food in their fridge, she makes sure kids don’t go without on their birthday,” Ms Wright said.
Ms Wright said that she wanted to help others “for the smiles, not the thanks-yous”.
“I always get embarrassed by the thank-yous, because that is not why I do it, I do it because I want to,” she said.
She said anyone wanting to donate goods to Wyndham Hearts in Hands, or to seek help, could join the group’s Facebook page, email wyndhamhearts@gmail.com or contact her during business hours on 04008 32215. See ozharvest.org/give-a-little-love/ to donate to OzHarvest.
