Thank You For Your Valuable Support
by Gavin Watson / Executive Officer
Welcome to our first Food Collective supporter’s newsletter. We will produce these regularly to keep you up to date with the impact the Food Collective is having in our local community and on upcoming activities.
Firstly I would like to thank you all for the support you have provided DVCS is providing food relief in the Nillumbik and Banyule communities. This is very much appreciated and has contributed to helping over 1600 people and their families in providing essential food items in the past 12 months.
The Food Collective commenced in April 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and now has almost 20 partners and supporters involved. Everyone’s input combines to a large impact on our local community. Food relief has been a key component of the Emergency Relief DVCS provides to the local community since we were established in 1972. We also have lots of new initiatives we hope to implement in the future, which will expand our impact even further.
The situation with the pandemic is constantly evolving, and I am proud of how those of you we are working with on a weekly basis are able to adapt and be agile to changes in processes or timing, basically what-ever is required, as each new challenge is thrown our way.
We are continuing to expand our reach within Nillumbik and Banyule by donating food and parcels to other community groups, such as Neighbourhood Houses and Learning Centers, and look forward to sharing those outcomes in future newsletters.
Our next key event is the FIGHTING HUNGER IN DIAMOND VALLEY WEEK which will run from 3rd August - 10th August 2020. This program will help bring more food donations into the collective that are needed to continue to supply the clients who need them most. We also want to show the community how each small input, can have a large impact. See the flyer in this newsletter showing how the community can get involved, there will be more information to come as we conclude this program.
Thank-you again for all for your support and I am looking forward to providing greater impact through our efforts in the near future.
Addressing Food Security Challenges
Written by Kerri Wellington
People who are experiencing challenges to food security struggle to have ongoing access to affordable, safe, healthy food. This includes having to eat less food because they can't afford more, running out of food and being unable to buy more, skipping meals and cutting down on the size of meals to make food go further.
At least 4 million Australians (or 18% of the population) have experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months and 30% of these people go a whole day without eating, at least once a week.Â
Only half of these people ever seek food relief, largely due to issues of shame, embarrassment, and charities are struggling in meeting the full needs of the people they see.
Barriers to food security do not discriminate – it is an issue that affects many people in our community – from young people, students, families and the elderly, the unemployed, underemployed and employed, refugees, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and those with a disability or illness.
In 2018, 22% of those facing hunger were children.Â
About Our Programs:
With the ever increasing daily living costs, there are many in our community on low incomes who are vulnerable and struggling to meet the cost of basic needs. People are having to make tough choices between eating a meal and paying a bill.
For those people living in North East Banyule, and Nillumbik, DVCS is a place they turn for assistance.
Our drop-in service operates Monday to Friday 9:30am - 3:30pm with no appointment necessary.
Our Emergency Program includes:
Food vouchers / Parcels
Education support
Material aid
Health Care Prescriptions
Op Shop Vouchers
Transport Vouchers
Telstra Vouchers
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