Though the smoke has long cleared and the coronavirus pandemic pushed the emergency off the radar, 12 volunteers continue to unpack emergency food donations at Corryong and re-pack food parcels for more than 100 families in all ends of the valley every week.

There has been little let-up since January.

Now the Upper Murray charity - run off its feet since the summer bushfire crisis - urgently needs a new home.

Corryong FoodShare Services has operated from the Corryong Scout Hall for the past 15 years on the proviso it would move out should the Scouts need it back.

With the Scouts reforming in January, Corryong FoodShare now needs to raise $150,000 to buy a new building.

Corryong FoodShare Services spokeswoman Pastor Carol Allen said they hoped to buy Corryong hospital's gymnasium building on Jardine Street.

She said they had three months to vacate the scout hall site.

"The hospital wants to sell the old gym building and we need $150,000 to $160,000 for it," she said.

"It is fit-for-purpose; this is what we need to store the food and the furniture and it's a permanent home for us."

Having started at the Corryong hospital during 1997, Corryong FoodShare today has 120 clients on its books, up from 30 regulars before the summer bushfire crisis.

The service covers 4000 square kilometres around Corryong, more than half the size of Towong Shire itself.

It gets referrals from Gateway Health (Wodonga), Albury Wodonga Health and Corryong Health.

Together with the volunteers and husband Pastor Douglas Allen, Mrs Allen has got emergency food deliveries to all ends of the valley including Nariel Valley, Cudgewa, Lucyvale, Walwa, Khancoban, Thowgla Valley, Biggara and Corryong.

"It's not just about the food," Mrs Allen said.

"It's about the connection. The Nariel run takes all day!"

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Twelve volunteers hit the road two days a week - using their own cars for deliveries though the service provides fuel - to make this happen.

They unpack emergency food donations two days a week and repack food parcels on another two days.

Mr Allen, now 85, was humble about his own contribution, saying: "The volunteers have been a brilliant crew that has been flat chat for the past 12 months."

Having moved to Corryong almost 30 years ago, Mrs Allen said 2020 in the Upper Murray had been a year like no other.

"Remember Queen Elizabeth's 'annus horribilis' in 1992? 2020 has been that this year in the Upper Murray," she said.

Mrs Allen said Corryong FoodShare was in the town for the long haul.

"Bushfire recovery can take up to 10 years," she said.

"There are people at Cudgewa who still haven't started rebuilding; they're in rentals in town. Others are in portable buildings or vans.

"When they finally do rebuild, people have got to furnish their new houses. People are struggling to put food on the table too; we're here for them long-term."

For more details or to donate contact Carol Allen on 0427 762 051.

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