Blakehurst community food drive to help minimise winter hunger
On Sunday May 18, members of St Martin’s Anglican Church Blakehurst will be doorknocking in the local area and asking the community to donate non-perishable food items.
The Church food drive helps to ensure families who are experiencing financial hardship are provided with some kind of sustenance during the cold winter months.
The drive strengthens the work of ANGLICARE Sydney by illustrating how people can partner together to support others. The Emergency Relief program coordinated by ANGLICARE also offers assistance to families experiencing financial difficulty through the receipt of food hampers and/or food vouchers.
In addition to the food drive, on May 27 Bald Face Public School students will head to St Martin's Church hall for a school service and have been asked to bring a non-perishable food item with them to donate to those less fortunate than themselves.
Stuart Milne is the Reverend of St Martin's Anglican Church. He says that last year was the first food drive in the Blakehurst area in ten years, yet the community were still very supportive of the initiative.
“Last year’s food drive was the first in ten years. It was really great, we were given stacks of canned goods and it was well received by the local community,” he said.
“We are certain this year’s food drive will be just as successful and as people get used to the project the community involvement and compassion will continue to grow and grow.”
“We are hoping to collect food items such as tinned meat or fish, soup, vegetables and fruit; rice, noodles, pasta; as well as cartons of fruit juice, long life milk, sugar, cereal, tea and coffee.”
On the day there will be teams knocking on doors, packing boxes at the church and ANGLICARE Sydney’s Assistant Director of Community Care, Phil Coller, will be speaking to the church congregation at the evening service.
Reverend Milne hopes the community partake in the food drive and is excited about inviting locals to join the Church at the special guest service on Sunday May 25.
“There are four main reasons why we are passionate about this food drive; 1. We want to do good for those in need; 2. It allows the whole community to help others and feel good about their actions; 3. We want to raise the profile of our church and; 4. We want to invite people to come and hear the guest speaker, Baden Stace, from Evangelism Ministries.”
The food drive corresponds with ANGLICARE’s winter appeal which people can give to at www.anglicare.org.au or by phoning 13 26 22.
For more information on the food drive please contact: Stuart Milne on 02 9546 8022
Media contact: Bridgette Godden on 9895 8138 or 0411 779 337
