Local residents and sport players are encouraged to team together in supporting the community by donating towards the drive ‘Food Goals’.
When residents are heading to a training or game at Strathalbyn’s football or netball clubs, they are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item.
Items collected will be split between Milang Old School Community House (MOSHCC), Strath Neighbourhood Centre, The Pantry Club and Vinnies.
While the community organises an annual Christmas hamper drive, Raine & Horne’s Sally Ness initiated the mid-year collection to further support residents, and reach new families through sporting clubs.
“Some football families might need help as well,” she said.
“It reaches a different community; we have people travel into football and netball from different towns.
“The drive is spreading awareness that people need help.”
The Pantry Club co-ordinator, Paquita Wise, has found rising costs of food, petrol and prescriptions is impacting local residents.
“We’ve noticed that’s there’s more (people) coming in and more needing emergency relief and different people than what we’ve seen before… with multiple kids as well,” she said.
“We’re noticing more people coming in for fruit and veg in between weeks as well, just to get that extra top-up, so (Food Goals) is a fantastic initiative.”
Ms Wise encourages involving children in the drive, by shopping together with a donation budget.
“Say to the kids, ‘if you had this money and you had to make a meal, what would you buy for your meal?’,” she said.
“Get them thinking about what a meal would look like if there’s only $10 or $5.
“It makes you stop and think.
“It gets kids interacting with, ‘what are the prices?’, ‘what’s needed in a recipe?’.”
Non-perishable food donations are being collected at Strathalbyn Football Club, Strathalbyn Netball Club and Raine and Horne Strathalbyn, until May 19.
