Michaela Meade
Demand for Foodbank Victoria’s service has been higher “across the board” during metro Melbourne’s sixth COVID-19 lockdown, according to its chief executive.
On August 20, the Yarraville-based organisation ran a drive-through hamper collection services for people needing food. But it was forced to close the service after traffic started banking up as far back as the West Gate Bridge.
In a Facebook post, Foodbank said police had advised that the drive-through service had become an issue of public safety.
“Seeing the extent of the need out there in the community, and then not being able to provide the service we need to… it was very distressing,” chief executive David McNamara said.
“The visual representation of the need out there… you can talk about it, and quote statistics, but once you actually see it, it’s different.
“It’s hard to comprehend.”
Mr McNamara said the charity has been seeing people from all over metropolitan Melbourne come to seek out the service – stretching from the outer eastern suburbs to Sunbury.
Mr McNamara said the short time frame between the state’s fifth and sixth COVID-19 lockdowns was partially to blame for the increase in demand.
“People didn’t have the ability to bounce back in such a short time frame,” he said.
“It’s been a cumulative effect, especially people in the casualised workforce, people living paycheck to paycheck.
“We saw single mums with kids, people who lost their jobs, small business owners… every demographic you can imagine.”
Despite the hardship that a lot of the community finds themselves in, Mr McNamara said the Maribyrnong community have shown support.
“The support we get from local businesses, and from locals volunteering… the Maribyrnong community are amazing,” he said.
“We kind of lead the way of showing that care and compassion is what’s going to get us through this [lockdown and the pandemic more broadly.”
