Banking on food when times are tough
YOU couldn’t help being moved by the smiles all ‘round on Tuesday morning when the Foodbank truck pulled up in Wingewarra Street.
It might seem like a simple idea, but Foodbank has an enormous positive impact in the local community, helping to get food on the tables of people doing it tough during these tough times.
Tina Reynolds is CEO at Orana Support Service and told
Dubbo Photo News all the services involved work really well together.
“Which is really great – we get a lot of people every day doing this for Orana Support, so this is something we see every single day, we have the Foodbank parcels at the office and we’re handing them out with fresh produce,” said Mrs Reynolds, who is pictured with mascot Harry the Homeless Bear during this week’s delivery.
KELLY Anthony couldn’t stop smiling on Tuesday morning when the Foodbank truck pulled up in Wingewarra Street.
After beating a drug addiction in the past year, which was chewing up her life, she says the very simple things in life now make her appreciate each day.
And one of those simple things is the sense of community generated by Foodbank, and the way the organisation, along with local sponsors and supporters, helps people doing it tough in the most immediate way.
She now volunteers herself and says it’s all about giving back to the very organisations that helped her beat her addiction.
“It’s a tough world, you’ve just gotta keep the rent up, you’ve gotta keep paying your bills and you can’t do any of that without having a good decent feed as well. That’s why it’s great that everyone here is helping people put food on the table which many can’t afford at the moment.
“The community helping the community is what we need – we need that community support.
“A year ago, I started to turn my life around. If it wasn’t for these agencies there’s no way, I could have turned my life around,” she told Dubbo Photo News.
“Drugs was my main thing – it’s very tough to get yourself off drugs and have a positive attitude.
She named Orana Support Service as one of the very supportive local organisations. “You just go in their offices and they’re there to help you, you pick up the phone, they’re there. Same with Dubbo Neighbourhood Centre, they’re all there.
“If it wasn’t for these guys I don’t know what would have happened to me and other people in the community.”
Tina Reynolds is CEO at Orana Support Service and said all the services work really well together.
“Which is really great – we get a lot of people every day doing this for Orana Support, so this is something we see every single day. We have the Foodbank parcels at the office and we’re handing them out with fresh produce,” Mrs Reynolds said.
She stressed how important it was to keep the red tape out of grassroots community efforts and have people there to help when that help is needed.
“We really don’t get caught up in any red tape. All we do is we’re there for the clients, they just pop in, have a coffee, pick up food if they need it, there’s just someone that they can talk to and where they can belong to the community.”
Robert Reid was waiting in line to get his temperature checked so he could pick up a Foodbank parcel – he said he couldn’t work even if there were any jobs because he was pensioned off after years as a shearer.
“I reckon it’s the best thing in the world, this is a Godsend for some people who can’t work, who can’t get work, who can’t do anything. Foodbank makes you feel there’s some hope left in the world anyway,” Mr Reid said.
“COVID-19’S got everything knocked around, people can’t get out and work even, there’s no jobs anyway.
“There’s people struggling, people who are trying to feed their children, they can’t afford to feed their own little kids.”
David Carter, waiting in line in a Broncos jersey, said he didn’t support the Broncos, but he certainly supported everything Foodbank was doing for the Dubbo community.
“It’s good mate, it actually helps me out, I’m struggling a bit mate, it is hard mate, very hard, I reckon this is very nice, what they do.”
Maddy Herbert was loading cars up for customers, pleased to see that the donations from Fletcher International where she heads up human resources are getting to the people most in need.
“Foodbank is an organisation that the Fletcher family is really passionate about because it supports people directly in our local communities,” Ms Herbert said.
“They focus heavily on food insecurity which is something that more and more Australians are facing every day, particularly given the current economic climate.
“So what this allows us to do is not only donate our products through their programs – we donate a lot of trims for sausage meat – but it’s also something hands-on that we can do to be involved in the community through distribution days like this.
“There’s no sense of bureaucracy in Foodbank, it’s direct donations, direct hands-on, and it’s really a cooperation throughout the supply chain as well.
“The meat that we donate is processed by another facility that donates that labour, the freight is donated too, so it’s a really holistic approach – and you’re not jumping through hoops to tick boxes which happens with some other organisations,” she said.