The doors of Albury-Wodonga Regional FoodShare are shut this week - but not for long, as volunteers busily prepare to make the move to a new warehouse. It's a fond farewell and "massive thankyou" to Wodonga TAFE, which has partnered with the charity for the past seven years at its Moorefield Park Drive location. "They've been the most generous hosts we could possibly ask for," FoodShare manager Peter Matthews said. The organisation, which supplies the equivalent of about 1.3 million meals per year to people in need, is relocating one kilometre down the road to Unit 1/10 Stead Street Wodonga, and will re-open on March 10 at the new premises. There will be an official opening and barbecue lunch on March 21, which will also act as a thankyou to the Border community for its generosity during the recent bushfires. Albury Wodonga Regional FoodShare ran at up to 40 per cent above normal volumes during January and into February to ensure the timely delivery of food, water and household supplies to fire-affected areas in the Upper Murray. Volunteer hours doubled and the region's residents rallied to help, donating the equivalent of three months' supply of its usual intake, board chair Simon Welsh revealed. He said one of FoodShare's strengths was its connectedness and relationships in the community, which allowed it to respond quickly in a crisis. "Volunteers went above and beyond the call of duty (during the fire crisis) and so much food was coming in from the community - it was brilliant," he said.
PEOPLE POWER: FoodShare's Bev Campbell (front), Doug Gannon, Gus de Angelis, Peter Matthews and Rodger Adams. Picture: TARA TREWHELLA
The doors of Albury-Wodonga Regional FoodShare are shut this week - but not for long, as volunteers busily prepare to make the move to a new warehouse.
It's a fond farewell and "massive thankyou" to Wodonga TAFE, which has partnered with the charity for the past seven years at its Moorefield Park Drive location.
"They've been the most generous hosts we could possibly ask for," FoodShare manager Peter Matthews said.
The organisation, which supplies the equivalent of about 1.3 million meals per year to people in need, is relocating one kilometre down the road to Unit 1/10 Stead Street Wodonga, and will re-open on March 10 at the new premises.
There will be an official opening and barbecue lunch on March 21, which will also act as a thankyou to the Border community for its generosity during the recent bushfires.
Volunteer hours doubled and the region's residents rallied to help, donating the equivalent of three months' supply of its usual intake, board chair Simon Welsh revealed.
He said one of FoodShare's strengths was its connectedness and relationships in the community, which allowed it to respond quickly in a crisis.
"Volunteers went above and beyond the call of duty (during the fire crisis) and so much food was coming in from the community - it was brilliant," he said.
