WHAT started as a small food relief project to help feed underprivileged families has grown into a bigger initiative that helps young people become job ready.
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The Forster Community Food Store began 12 months ago and was developed by the Forster Neighbourhood Centre combined with the hard work of manager Trish Wallace and BreakThru People Solutions representative Maureen Cooper.
The project has come about through the support from 15 local businesses. Businesses support the project by donating slightly
damaged fruit and vegetables as well as bread and non-perishable food items which are then
collected by volunteers.
Volunteers then compile and distribute food boxes to families and individuals who are doing it tough. Since the project’s inception, volunteers have distributed almost 4000 food boxes throughout the community.
“There are quite a lot of people, more than you would think, who are struggling and don’t have food security,” Ms Wallace said.
“People from all walks of life come to get the food boxes from us. So it just shows that great partnerships make for great communities and together you can achieve a lot.”
Mrs Cooper saw an opportunity for a successful partnership between BreakThru People Solutions and the Community Food Store. Her idea was to allocate her clients to help out with the organisation of the store while increasing their work and social skills.
“It’s been a great opportunity for my young people to help with organising and distributing the food,” she said.
“It’s helped them with team work, they have developed customer service skills and they’ve helped with the rotation of stock.”
One of those clients who has greatly benefited from the food store is 21-year-old Ionela Cornhill, who says being part of the project has given her the confidence boost she needed.
“It helped with my people skills and my confidence,” she said.
“You get to know how other people think and how they live. I really liked it.”
Miss Cornhill now works as a nurse at a local nursing home and still volunteers at the food store twice a week.
The Community Food Store relies solely on the support from its community partners and receives $400 a month from the Sea Change Op Shop to purchase pantry items.
The store has ceased operations for the Christmas period but will recommence on January 20. Anyone wishing to donate food items to the store can do so by dropping into the Foster Neighbourhood Centre on West Street or by calling 6555 4351 from January 13 on wards.
