For some, Christmas is a difficult time of year. Especially now with the cost of living so high, getting into the festive spirit can be far from easy.
Again, the Gisborne Community Care Foodbank is doing what it can to make a difference – handing out Christmas hampers to those who need a hand with the special things many take for granted.
Foodbank general manager Lynne Margaret said they’d prepared about 90 hampers for their clients and those who had flagged their interest.
“They are very, very grateful. They were happy to receive that little bit of extra,” Ms Margaret said.
“It gives them those sorts of treats they’re not able to afford. We’ve had a couple of clients who have come in and they’ve been in tears.”
According to Foodbank Australia, more than 540,000 households in Victoria went hungry in the last 12 months, “sometimes skipping meals or going whole days without eating”.
The goodies inside the hampers are a symbol of community spirit and generosity – donations from local businesses and organisations of chocolates and plum puddings and pies and ham.
Ms Margaret said they’d had “a heck of a lot of support”, and encouraged anyone in the Macedon Ranges who needed food support to reach out.
“We feed everybody who needs food, that’s our mantra,” she said.
“If they need that support, they are doing the best thing for their family by reaching out.”
She said even in the last few days, the foodbank had received a number of enquiries seeking help.
“It’s starting to ramp up, due to pressure around Christmas time,” she said.
“We do have some leftover produce from the hampers, so we’ve been giving a couple of those nice treats.”
Elsie Lange
