Help floods in, with food for all following deluge, at Community Centre

From left, Community Centre Manager Rachael Donovan and Community Development Worker Peter Hogg with Akshara Day and volunteers from Amrita Australia who were on kitchen duty last Thursday.

After the recent heavy rain and flooding, some members of the community have been hit harder than others. Staff and volunteers at the Nambour Community Centre are seeing this devastation first hand.

“We are appealing for all the help we can get to assist some of those worst affected by the rain,” said Community Development Worker, Peter Hogg.

“The population of already vulnerable people in town have been hit hardest. Some, who have been living in tents or on the streets, have had all of their possessions washed away. We have had people come to us with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

“As well, we have people who have not been able to get to work because of the flood waters, and families who have come onto our radar because of the hardships of the past couple of years,” he said.

Nambour Community Centre regularly provides food relief to those in need in the community. “We come once a month and cook as much as we possibly can to feed whoever comes in on the day,” said National Coordinator for Amrita Australia Akshara Day whose volunteers were on kitchen duty this week.

“We made a total of 155 meals today for anyone in need. Plus they can take home meals to stock their fridges for as long as they need.

“During Covid we have been serving the meals in containers so people come in each day and they can take home meals they may require along with donated clothes, toiletries and fresh veggies.”

Community Development Worker Peter Hogg said members of the local Thai community also take on the meal preparation responsibilities once a month while Nambour Community Centre’s own volunteers work in the kitchen on the other weeks of the month.

“Every Thursday there are meals for people who need them,” said Peter. “Almost everything is donated from local businesses like Fruity Life, Oz Harvest, Woolworths, Suncoast Care and Spiceland.

“It’s amazing what this community does every day. Everyone contributes goods or time to just make things happen. We can have 50-80 people in here having meals on the busy Thursdays.“

“Right now, the best way people can help is with donations of supermarket or department store gift cards to enable recipients to  buy groceries, fuel and clothing,” Peter said. “We find that we always have plenty of donations of women’s clothing but not much in the way of men’s clothing. At this time, items such as towels will also be very welcome”.

• Contact the Nambour Community Centre on 5441 4724 to find out how you can help.