EMERGENCY food relief charity Albury Wodonga Regional FoodShare urgently needs a new home.
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Wodonga TAFE has provided warehouse space for FoodShare for the past six years but now needs the building to meet rising demand for trade courses.
FoodShare is desperately seeking support from the community, industrial property owners, freight and transport organisations to find a new Wodonga site within three months.
FoodShare Board member Jodie Kensington said FoodShare now urgently needed to find a new home as well as fund its operations.
"We ask for public support in finding a new warehouse in Wodonga quickly so that FoodShare will be able to continue to manage the 700,000 kilograms of donated food it receives each year, turning it into 25,000 meals per week to vulnerable people on both sides of the border," she said.
FoodShare gained $17,000 from the Border Trust Big Give on Thursday to help source a second food van.
A working party has been unable to find new premises since January, leaving three months before the TAFE lease ends and it refurbishes the space for courses in 2020.
Wodonga TAFE acting chief executive Phil Paterson said FoodShare provided an invaluable service.
"However, the warehouse is a critical piece of infrastructure we need access to in order to meet future training needs," he said.
Wodonga Council's Deputy Mayor Cr Kat Bennett said finding a new warehouse was critical.
"FoodShare is the only centralised hub coordinating emergency food relief for nine local government areas," she said.
"Last year Albury Wodonga provided food to 106 welfare/community agencies, 80 schools and 10 neighbourhood houses: that's enough food to make the equivalent of 1.4 million meals."
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Gateway Health chief executive Leigh Rhode said FoodShare had an impact beyond food rescue.
"In a rich nation like Australia, there are families who still suffer stress and anxiety in order to put food on the table," she said.
"Emergency food relief agencies like FoodShare, not only provide fresh food to families in need but also tackle the food waste issue by effectively rescuing food that would otherwise go to landfill."
FoodShare needs 800m2 floorspace with easy access for trucks, security gate and parking for 100-plus volunteers. Contact FoodShare manager Peter Matthews on 0418 962 137, (02) 6055 6979 or manager@foodshare.org.
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