More than 60 households will have fresh food and vegetables tonight thanks to a new partnership with Anglicare and St Luke’s Anglican Church Liverpool.
Launched today, Fresh Food Tuesday offers affordable food to those struggling on low incomes to make ends meet. For a gold coin donation, people with a pension, health care, Centrelink or immigration card can take home bags of fresh food for their weekly meals.
“We are happy to partner with Anglicare to care for people in our Liverpool community,” says Stuart Pearson, Senior Minister at St Luke’s.
“Fresh Food Tuesday allows us to do engage with people in a meaningful way. Not only do our church volunteers help provide food, the program gives us opportunities to build relationships with those who are seeking help.”
Anglicare’s Annual Rental Snapshot revealed that unless people were prepared to spend more than 30% of their income in rent in Liverpool, there were no affordable or appropriate properties for households receiving income support.
“It is harder than ever to feed families on a low income,” explains Anita Cuca, Anglicare Liverpool manager. “With the cost of living, particularly rents, so high these days, people on low incomes are finding it difficult to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. There is great demand for food that is affordable.
“The aim of the program is to help people holistically. It’s not just about handing out food for the family meal. We hope by having Fresh Food Tuesday at St Luke’s, it will provide an opportunity to connect with new people and help overcome social isolation that many who are struggling financially may experience.”
For Matt Madigan, the program stems from a Gospel inspired love. “We want to care for people in their need, because Jesus cared for us.”
Anglicare has coordinated Fresh Food Tuesday for the past seven years at their Liverpool site. The successful program grew to assist more than seventy families a week. Almost at capacity, the team at Anglicare Liverpool looked around for opportunities to expand the program and help more people in need.
“We hope the move will widen our caring community to meet people’s physical, social and spiritual needs,” Matt adds.
Food at Fresh Food Tuesdays is supplied by Oz Harvest and Food Bank.
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