A Melbourne community is witnessing the harsh realities of the high cost of living on their doorstep. As everyday essentials like groceries, housing, and fuel continue to stretch Aussies thin, the volunteers behind a free food pantry in an inner-western suburb of Melbourne say they are “definitely seeing more people in need”.
Jared Davis, pastor at Footscray Church of Christ, opened the donation-based pantry in 2019 with the help of the community. It operates on a “take what you need and give what you can” basis. Gordon Street Little Pantry was installed on church property and has grown to serve hundreds of locals, including seniors, students, and people facing housing and food insecurity.
According to Jared, the pantry is emptied and filled almost three times a day. “Housing is a big problem in the area, as it is everywhere. But there’s certainly a lot of housing insecurity in the area, and that often goes hand-in-hand with food insecurity and other social issues as well.”
Alarmingly, more than half of all Australians are now struggling to put food on the table, according to Foodbank Australia. In March, data revealed 44 per cent of Aussies were experiencing food insecurity. In the space of a month, that figure has now jumped to 53 per cent.
When the pantry was first installed, Davis said it was only for people to donate non-perishables, but as demand grew, he saw a greater need for hot meals and perishable food. So, the community response evolved.
Community approach shifts as demand grows
Around 2021, the church began distributing hampers filled with milk, bread, biscuits, baked beans, and pasta. But thanks to community outreach, Jared said more people wanted to contribute, and the church has started to serve barbecue, coffee, tea, cakes, and special treats every Friday.
What started with handing out about a dozen hampers has tripled over the years.
Jared said he’s spoken to more and more people in “really desperate situations, just desperate for any food at all”. “I even had a request from someone [who asked to] sleep in the cupboard in the back of the church,” he explained. “Your heart just breaks in that situation. So it feels like I’m seeing more and more people in that sort of situation.”
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Previously speaking to Yahoo News, Foodbank Australia CEO Kylea Tink said data showcasing the escalating food crisis is “deeply confronting” and it shows that Aussie families are at a “breaking point”.
Apart from a warm meal and food to keep people fed for the week, Jared said his small community is also providing social connections to people who would otherwise feel lonely during difficult financial times. Additionally, he said it’s also allowing community members to feel like they can contribute in an “impossible situation”.
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