Seven new people a day are seeking help from an Illawarra-based food barn because they’re struggling to put a meal on the table.
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The dire situation facing the region’s families has prompted the creation of the Illawarra Food Hub (IFH) – a region-wide approach to collecting good food destined for the tip and delivering it to people in need.
The IFH, which was officially launched on Wednesday, is a collaboration of community food aid organisations, businesses and the Illawarra Pilot Joint Organisation (IPJO) of councils.
The hub will build on the work already done by the Hope Centre Food Barn at Warrawong.
For 10 years the Food Barn has been there for people in their time of need, but the problem is “getting bigger”, general manager Lizzie Millar said.
“At the Food Barn alone, we have seven new people join every day because they cannot afford to put food on their family’s tables,” Ms Millar told a gathering at the launch.
“They’re broken. They are busted, busted people.
“We’re here because we care about people and, you know what, it could be you tomorrow – it’s that simple.”
Ms Millar said gone were the days where a “traditional group”, like the homeless or those battling an addiction, were the ones seeking help.
It could be you tomorrow - it’s that simple.
- Lizzie Millar
“Ten per cent of our client group is that traditional group, the rest is your average Aussie doing it tough … if we don’t get this food hub working we’re in big trouble,” she said.
“Our welfare bills might even match our defence bills if we’re not careful.”
Ms Millar told the Mercury the growth of need in the Illawarra was currently “statistically greater than any other region”.
“We know there’s a lot more to come, which is sad, but ... as a collaborative we can do so much more to help,” she said.
The man charged with leading that help is IFH co-ordinator Criss Matesic.
Mr Matesic spent 36 years as a chef and said he has “always been involved with food”.
“Our job is to increase [food collection] by another 7.5 tonnes in the next 12 months ... to over 33 tonnes,” he said.
The IFH is supported by the NSW Environmental Trust and received almost $400,000 in funding as part of the government’s Waste Less, Recycle More initiative.
Parliamentary secretary for the Illawarra Gareth Ward said the IFH, one of 14 similar projects to be funded under the initiative, would be bolstered by the addition of trucks and equipment.
Volunteers will be trained in food handling.
“What it’s best for are the 7000 families who’ll receive meals from this organisation every week,” Mr Ward said.
“That speaks volumes about some of the special challenges we have in the Illawarra.”
Wollongong lord mayor Gordon Bradbery said the initiative was about taking food that could be recycled out of the waste system – reducing costs for councils and helping those who needed it.
“It’s a tragedy to see good food going into landfill. That to me is disgusting, it’s almost blasphemous when you consider there are people who are hungry,” Cr Bradbery said.
The IPJO includes Kiama Municipal, Shellharbour City, Shoalhaven City and Wollongong City councils.