Each week, volunteers from The Braybrook Maidstone Neighbourhood House prepare food hampers for 55 families who are struggling to make ends meet.
Never missing a week besides Melbourne Cup and Christmas, manager Vivienne Conn said she saw the need more than 11 years ago, and it has continued to grow.
“I started it to try and help people out,” she said.
“When we started we were doing it for 22 families, now we have a long waiting list which we can’t add any more people to.”
With a further 22 families on the waiting list, Ms Conn said they don’t have the storage capacity to create any more hampers.
“The people on our waiting list are going to be waiting so long to get a hamper, the need is out of control,” she said.
To avoid turning people away empty handed, Ms Conn said volunteers are able to give out frozen meals donated to them from The Nourish Project at the Yarraville Community Centre.
Relying heavily on the community to donate items for the hampers , Ms Conn said anything is appreciated.
“On Monday we have free bread donated by Bakers Delight in Sunshine,” she said.
“Then on Tuesday we give out the hampers which hold fruit, veggies, dairy, all pantry items, canned food and anything we get from donations.
“We rely totally on donations because there is no funding, so any donations are welcome and we are grateful for them.”
Jennifer Pittorino
