Anglicare Sydney and Waitara Anglican Church, have teamed up to provide low cost food for those in need in the community.
Stocked with household pantry items, Anglicare Sydney’s Mobile Community Pantry now operates at 34 Palmerston Road, every second Monday to distribute food from 9:30am – 10:30am. For a $10 contribution, families who need to stretch their budget further will be able to take home a shopping bag full of food worth about $60.
For organiser at Waitara Anglican Church, Belinda Steward, the Mobile Community Pantry is a way to help the local community.
“Our Church has seen a real growing need in our local area with more people visiting the Church and asking for help in the past year. While we did not feel equipped to start a regular program by ourselves, the Anglicare pantry has given us the opportunity to provide a valuable service,” says Belinda.
“We are also the first location on the North Shore to provide the Mobile Community Pantry. Although we have only been operating for a couple of months, we have already seen people from Mt Colah to Turramurra, so we are reaching a large area.”
When asked what the Church hopes to achieve through the pantry, Belinda’s answer is practical.
“We hope to assist those in need by providing access to cheap groceries, but also to provide a place where they can feel comfortable to stay and talk, and enjoy some morning tea with us,” she explains.
“The mobile community pantry allows us to show the love of Jesus in a practical way to the people of Waitara and beyond.”
The project has also started drawing support from local businesses, with one grocer regularly donating fresh food to the Pantry.
Carl Taleb, owner of Frita Fruita in Eastern Road Turramurra, says he was delighted to support the Food Pantry when he learned of it.
“Our family believes in supporting others in need in our community,” says Carl.