Cade Lucas
Civic awards and honours not only recognise those who make a big difference in the community, but they can also motivate others to do the same, with the pantry swap food relief program operated by the Williamstown Community and Education Centre (WCEC) being a case in point.
“The motivation was that there was a women who won citizen of the year in Hobsons Bay and she won it because she set up a pantry swap in Altona and we thought why don’t we try the same thing,” said the WCEC’s chief executive Mark Brophy of how their pantry swap program came about.
The woman he was referring to was Kate De Marco who was named Hobsons Bay’s 2022 Citizen of the Year for establishing a community pantry in the driveway of her Seaholm home.
After starting in early 2023, the WCEC’s own pantry swap program is now well established, and like Ms De Marco’s, helps address the growing need for food relief in Hobsons Bay caused by the cost of living crisis.
“We probably serve about 30-40 regulars per week including some with special needs,” said Mr Brophy of the demand for the pantry which operates from Monday to Friday at Joan Kirner House in Williamstown.
“The food stuff sits in a pantry so anyone off the street can come in and get what they need,” he said.
“Out motto is take what you need and give what you can.”
While those taking the food are people struggling to make ends meet, those giving it are a combination of local businesses, and not-for-profits that WCEC has partnered with.
“We’ve get non-perishables from the supermarket (Coles in Williamstown and Woolworths in Spotswood both have donation bins in their stores), bread from a nearby bakery and fresh produce from the Uniting Church in Williamstown. They’ve also got a food relief service and what they don’t use they give to us.”
Women’s charity Share the Dignity have provided sanitary products, while The Health Care Foundation, Mobile and The Village retirement home in Williamstown have also contributed.
Mr Brophy said individual donations were also welcome.
“If anyone out there wants to give to our pantry swap, it is greatly appreciated.”
Details: www.williamstown-spotswoodcc.org.au/
