A drive-thru food drive is open at Bendigo Toyota today! Taking donations for Bendigo Foodshare’s Annual Winter Food Drive.
Organiser of the drop off donation drive, Gabe Richards tells Robbo on the Wake Up Call, “you don’t even need to get out of your car!”
“I’ll be out there all day and I’m happy to grab it from your boot or back seat. Have you on your way!”
The front yard of the dealership has been transformed into a drive and drop-style donation point for the fifth year in a row
The drop off “started during the pandemic, with restrictions and that,” Gabe said.
The local charity is aiming to collect 10,000kgs of non-perishable food over a seven week period, doubling its previous food drive targets of 5,000kgs by the 13th of September.
“We’ve been supporters of Bendigo foodshare for over ten years now and it’s great to give back but it’s even more important to spread their message,” Gabe said.
“There are currently helping out 13,000 people in our region per week.”
Over the past few weeks, Gabe and her dad Baz, have been at Bendigo Marketplace collecting food for the drive to help the organisation meet this year’s ambitious target.
“Just a little bit by a lot of us can make a huge difference,” Gabe said.
Bendigo Foodshare CEO, Michelle Murphy said many seeking food relief have never had to reach out before in their lives and it includes families with two working adults.
“To help reach our goal, we’re also looking for businesses to chip in a donation of food, or to host their own food drive in their workplace,” Michelle said.
“We plan to move into our new warehouse in Golden Square at the end of next month, which has triple the storage capacity than our current site, so this donated food is going to be extremely helpful in filling our bare shelves so we can help fill empty tummies.”
Gabe says donations of long-life staples are needed for families across the region.
“Anything as long as it’s not fresh or frozen,” Gabe said.
“Things that are fantastic are like rice, cereal, pasta, tinned fruit or veggies, soups, jams, breads!
“Also personal hygiene products, or pet food. Often if people can’t feed themselves they can’t feed their pets.”
Bendigo Foodshare is asking the community to purchase a few extra items at their next shop and donate some pantry staples into the specially marked yellow bins located in all 18 Bendigo supermarkets (Aldi, Coles, IGA and Woolworths) as well as in community with the help of major sponsors Bendigo Marketplace and Bendigo Toyota together with other local businesses, schools and organisations.
Donations can be dropped off today at Bendigo Toyota in Epsom between 8am and 5:30pm – catch Gabe at the red pop up tent!
Food donations can also always be dropped off to Bendigo Foodshare’s warehouse at 2/43 Havilah Road, Long Gully between 9am – 3pm, Monday to Friday.
More information can be found at www.bendigofoodshare.org.au/fooddrive.
