Help create 500 essentials food packs

Every week the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) Foodbank provides over 700 vulnerable people with basic groceries and necessities.

In early August, this number is expected to surge, and the Foodbank needs your help to create 500 Essentials Packs to ensure the most vulnerable in our community don’t go without.

The Essentials Packs will be provided to people seeking asylum who have been cut off from basic income and support services, as part of the Federal Government’s recent withdrawal of Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS) to those waiting for protection. As a result of these cuts, many people will be in fear of homelessness and could go hungry.

How you can help

A dedicated team of Foodbank volunteers are putting together 500 emergency food packs over two working bees on Saturday 4 August and Saturday 11 August so that hungry families will receive food packs to place at least one meal on their table. But we need your help to fill these packs food and essential items.

What to donate

Thanks to an incredible food drive in June we already have many basic supplies including pasta, rice, chickpeas and toiletries and now we need some specific items to finish off the packs.

Many of the recipients of the Essentials Packs have limited or no access to kitchens, so the list below is made of non-perishable items for easy storage and preparation.

Here are the TOP TEN essential items needed for the packs:

• Weetbix or Corn Flakes
• Long life milk
• Packet of biscuits
• 2 minute instant noodles
• tea bags and instant coffee
• honey
• tomato paste
• washing powder
• can opener
• Coles/Myer or Woolworths Gift Card

Where to donate:

• In person at the ASRC Footscray Centre, 214-218 Nicholson Street, Footscray VIC 3011
• At a donation drop off centre
• Via Coles Online

Donating via Coles Online:

1. Order through Coles online
2. Log in or sign up to Coles (right hand side of screen)
3. Select ‘Choose a delivery/collection time’ on the right hand side of screen
4. Select ‘Choose another collection location nearby’
5. Enter ‘Deer Park’ as the servicing suburb – this is the store that delivers donations to ASRC
6. Scroll to find Deer Park Coles Asylum Seeker Resource Centre Donation (note: if you can’t find Deer Park you can type it in manually to the search box)
7. Click on ‘Choose a collection time’
8. Select ‘Click & Collect’ in the Tuesday 2.00pm – 4.00pm timeslot
9. Start shopping!

Coles will deliver to our ASRC Foodbank, so no need to collect!

With your help the ASRC will continue to fight to provide basic human rights to people seeking asylum. To stay informed with all the latest news, updates, events and information, join our community today.

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