Food donations welcome relief
GIVING food to people in desperate need is just one service local charity of 30 years, Emmanuel Care Centre Dubbo (ECCD), does on a daily basis.
A windfall last week of 90 donated hampers from Foodbank NSW will be passed on to such people who rely on Emmanuel Care Centre’s help in their hour of need.
“We’ve been getting people from the Trangie, Baradine, Gilgandra area. We’re helping them with their electricity vouchers, because you can’t get those vouchers anywhere else except Dubbo. They’ve got no income, so we give them food as well,” ECC manager Geraldine Tosh said.
“These hampers will also stop us using up all our resources. We rely on our opshop for funds, so this will be a great benefit and make life a lot easier.”
Each hamper contains 25 kitchen staples such as Weetbix, UHT milk, canned fruit, coffee, sugar, rice, jam, vegemite and tea bags.
“It’s not a lot of food, it’s basic and simple, so we’ll be sure to give each person enough,” Mrs Tosh said.
ECCD conducts a number of charitable initiatives including support with clothing and footwear, household items, medical travel assistance, EAPA vouchers for gas and electricity, Telstra Bill assistance and referral to other services.
The centre hosts programs to develop personal skills in the home, recovery from addictive behaviours, getting ahead in life and hope coaching.
Working in partnership with Joblink Plus and Work for the Dole participants, they also make Bush Bags which are made from upcycled fabric for use in the Emmanuel Care Centre shop, reducing plastic and teaching sewing skills.
Foodbank NSW ACT came through the region last week to distribute 5000 hampers to farming communities including Mudgee, Gollan, Ballimore, Parkes, Forbes, Eugowra and Canowindra.