THERE’S no doubt that no matter where you go in Australia you will find some families struggling to put food on the table.

Winter is a hard time, bills increase and for pensioners, or those with large families, it can be a difficult time to make ends meet.

Food Care at Salamander Bay is run by The Rock Church and offers cheap groceries and free fruit, vegetable and bread to those who need it most.

All you need to show is your health care card or pension card to access the service.

Janelle Foster, who co-ordinates the program, told News Of The Area, “No one leaves Food Care without food.”

“Volunteers and those who attend the weekly Food Care Program also gain companionship and build relationships which are important.”

“Food Care is not a hand out, it’s about giving people that need it a leg up,” she said.

Most single pensioners are struggling to pay for a one-bedroom unit, cover the bills and then put food on the table.

Bread is donated by Woolworths and local bakeries including the Seabreeze Bakery, while fruit and vegetables are donated by Oz Harvest, and some local butchers sell to the program at wholesale rates making a nutritious meal affordable.

Foodbank supplies staple products at extremely affordable prices, and Food Care on sells these good on a cost recovery basis.

Locals who are struggling can also take advantage of the clothing bank where they can buy warm and comfortable clothes for only fifty cents per item.

There’s a welcoming feeling when you walk in the door at Food Care, an offer for a cup of coffee or a hot meal and people willing to sit down and help without judgement, which makes you feel richer for the experience.

 

By Marian SAMPSON