Vol. No. Vol. 2718No. 5 27
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Wednesday, January 13, 2024 2016 Wednesday, July 31,
FAMILY FEATURE: Hundreds of competitors graced the performance stages at two venues for the annual Wimmera Music Eisteddfod last week. The Wundke family, Linda, Andrew, Rebekah and Steph competed in an open age family group section. Story, page 7. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Food demand soars D
BY LAUREN HENRY
emand for donated food for those in financial difficulty has increased by up to 33 per cent in the Wimmera.
Horsham Christian Emergency Food Centre is assisting about 250-260 individuals and families with food parcels each month – an increase of about one-third compared with last year. Over the past three years, the centre has donated food to the value of $1.2million back to those in need in the community. Clients live in municipalities of Hindmarsh, Horsham, West Wimmera and Yarriambiack, as well as some
parts of the Buloke and Northern Grampians shires. The centre’s volunteer operations manager John Spehr said volunteers believed the increase was mainly due to an increase in food costs, rent and utilities. “In the Horsham and Natimuk area, we’ve found we’ve had about a 33 per cent increase in numbers this year, and in the wider Wimmera area, because we reach out to surrounding towns as well, we’ve had about a 10 per cent increase in demand,” he said. Mr Spehr said the centre had never experienced such a significant increase. “We were actually increasing before
COVID, and then during COVID we had a decrease and now we’re right up again higher than what we were before COVID,” he said. In order to manage the demand for food donations, the centre receives grants from the Department of Social Services and other organisations and people. “We also receive fantastic support from our local community and local businesses,” Mr Spehr said. “We are fortunate to be able to pick up food from our three supermarkets – ALDI, Coles and Woolworths – and also from our local bakers, with things ranging from pies to bread rolls to bread.
“Church of Christ volunteers and Horsham Sports and Community Club on a monthly basis cook pre-prepared meals. “We freeze those meals and they’re really popular with our clients. “There’s also local people who provide us with excess produce from their farms or their home gardens, so we get fruit and eggs and things like that from our local community.” The centre works with Coles and Woolworths food donation programs, and also purchases food from Foodbank. Mr Spehr said the centre was also fortunate to receive donations through programs such as Horsham Sports
and Community Club’s reverse advent boxes and through schools’ drives to collect non-perishable food. People can donate to the food centre at donation boxes at supermarkets and churches, or drop into the centre at 28 Firebrace Street, Horsham, open 1pm to 3.45pm Monday to Friday. “We do need those donations to continue coming in. We are very dependent on our local community supporting us,” Mr Spehr said. “It’s from their generosity that we are able to continue and to support people at this level, and so far we have been able to cope with the increase of clients.” Continued page 3
IN THIS ISSUE • Councillor calls for municipal monitor • Emerge to ease childcare concerns • New coach for Stawell Phone: 03 5382 1351 Read it online: www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au
21,505 COPIES DISTRIBUTED EACH WEEK (average)
Come in on Tuesday, August 6 from noon to 3pm and celebrate with us! ● Colouring station
are g n i t a r b e l e c
Kids – complete the colouring and we will give you a free goodie bag (including toothbrush, toothpaste, mini floss, stickers)
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● Tooth brushing game Keep your teeth happy, ay with our dental staff sh them everyd
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