DECIDING whether to pay rent or put food on the table is a decision no family should have to make.
But for those people struggling in rural Victoria, that decision is a daily reality.
Now the Cohuna Neighbourhood House has reached out with food relief charity, Foodbank Victoria to provide emergency staple food hampers for those most at risk of hunger.
“We previously ran the initiative during the drought, and now it seems like a good time with the dairy crisis affecting farmers financially across the district,” co-ordinator, Cathy Donehue said.
“We also lost our government funding to provide food vouchers to those we know rely on community help, and the current system to obtain vouchers through another charity is not effective with time delay. Food vouchers really need to be on-the-spot.”
Mrs Donehue said the neighbourhood house has been in the process of teaming with Foodbank since March, while three pallets of food items, including assorted biscuits, tinned fruit, cereal and muesli bars arrived last week.
“People of all walks of life and at different times need to access food relief. It may be through necessity, difficult times, hardship, drought or fire. As a result, it’s not always those you immediately think of that require food relief,” she said.
While homelessness is prevalent in 33 per cent of recipients, more commonly agencies assist low income families, single parents and the unemployed.
Foodbank Victoria supports 451 welfare agencies and charities across the State, who in turn provide food relief to 108,000 people each month, of which one third of these people are children.
Emergency food relief can be sought from the neighbourhood house, corner of Market and Channel Streets, Cohuna. Please make yourself known to a staff member at reception.
Foodbank Victoria accepts donations of any food that is fit for human consumption. To donate, connect at www.foodbankvictoria.org.au/want-to-help/donate-food/food-we-accept.
