Food charity seeks lifeline

Southern service faces shutdown

THOUSANDS of people in need of emergency food relief in southern Tasmania could be affected if the Hobart operations of a major Tasmanian provider closes.

Devonport-based Loaves and Fishes Tasmania receives State Government funding but is trying to secure an additional $150,000 of federal backing to continue its full suite of operations.

The battle for funding comes after the provider last year took over the Tasmanian operations of national organisation SecondBite. Its southern Tasmanian centre is at Glenorchy.

Loaves and Fishes Tasmania was founded in 2017 and is a partnership between Devonport Chaplaincy, SecondBite, Action Against Homelessness and the Tasmanian Government.

It collects food from Tasmanian producers, supermarkets and suppliers which would otherwise go to waste — and services more than 220 community food programs and 38 school breakfast clubs across the state.

In Hobart, the provider has distributed more than 300,000kg of fresh produce to agencies since last year and produced in excess of 55,000 serves of ready-to-eat meals. Areas serviced by the Hobart facility include Sorell, Huonville, Geeveston, Bridgewater, Gagebrook, Rokeby, Clarendon Vale, Copping and Hobart.

Loaves and Fishes Tasmania chief executive Andrew Hillier said thousands of people per week would be impacted by the cuts if they eventuated.

“The bottom line is we will have no option but to cut back our Hobart warehouse and our distribution point down there,’’ he said.

“Those who are currently relying on the distribution of food we provide, it just won’t be there because we won't have the capacity to distribute it.”

Tasmanian Labor Senator Carol Brown said emergency food relief had not been supported in the state with federal funding.

“This is a huge concern. By not funding Loaves and Fishes, the Federal Government is abandoning Tasmanians in need,’’ she said.

A spokesperson for Social Services Minister Anne Ruston said the Morrison Government announced an additional $3.4 million for 10 organisations to deliver emergency relief in Tasmania.

This was on top of $6.7 million already committed to provide funding through to 2023 for five organisations following a grants round conducted last year.

The spokesperson said Loaves and Fishes had not applied for funding in the 2018 grants round.

“There is no requirement for the organisation to have a national presence to be eligible for emergency relief funding,’’ the spokeswoman said.