Food relief inundated

As fires continue to burn in the East Gippsland region, Warragul and its surrounding locals have banded together to provide food and other items to be sent to those who need it most.

The Baw Baw Food Relief Centre in Pearse Street has been inundated with food since beginning to take donations on Saturday morning for fire affected families.

Coordinator Jan Davidson said the generosity from the local community had been simply incredible.

“It’s really amazing, it just goes to show that everyone is willing to help out through the tougher times, especially in these devastating circumstances,” she said.

The immediate donations from West Gippslanders filled a factory adjacent to the organisation’s Pearse St centre.

BBFR manager Anne Pascoe said it was “just helping your neighbour…that’s what it really is.”

“We are all together when a catastrophe like this hits,” she said.

The food relief centre was a hive of activity on Monday morning, with six more volunteers coming in to help pack boxes of food and items for families who will be doing it tough over the next few weeks as they begin to move back into the fire affected areas.

One volunteer, Denise Lloyd said all she wanted to do was help.

“I’m not the one who is facing this devastation, I haven’t lost anything, but other families have and that’s why I felt it was something I needed to do, to help those who need it at this time,” she said.

The volunteers have been coming from far and wide, with donations being dropped off constantly. Mrs Davidson said she could tell they weren’t just leftover items at home, but people had gone out to the shops specifically to buy items.

“They aren’t just getting things off the shelf; you can see they’ve gone to the shops with the intent of getting the items that will be needed most when people begin to move back into the towns that have been impacted” she said.

With food and other necessary items continuing to come in, the volunteers have begun packing boxes for families, as well as singles to hand out to those affected when the time comes, whether that be now, in a fortnight or even in a month’s time.

“We were really lucky at Christmas with everyone donating to those less fortunate and to now go again and support those affected by the fires is just fantastic, it actually makes you a little teary to see it all being packed and knowing it will help,” Mrs Davidson said.

There currently is no end date for donations, and if you would like to contribute to those in need, you can drop off items at the Baw Baw Food Relief factory located at 6/11 Pearse Street in Warragul.