After a bump in the road, Our Community Pantry is busier than ever at their new drop off location in Goulburn.
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The community group provides affordable food hampers, with recipes, to families who are struggling to make ends meet.
On May 8 Goulburn Mulwaree Council advised Our Community Pantry they were no longer permitted to use the car park at Goulburn Showground to distribute hampers. This occurred after the group organised a "socially distanced" car park flash mob to lift the spirits of isolated families.
The organisation now runs out of the car park behind the Australian Wool Handlers (AWH) building at 58 Finlay Road, Goulburn.
Our Community Pantry founder Paula Zrilic said the new location was "absolutely brilliant".
Ms Zrilic thanked AWH for their support that had allowed them to continue with the Goulburn service.
"Our new site is perfect for what we do, we are well off the public road and have a very large area for waiting vehicles and a flow of traffic to move into the bay where we pack the hampers," she said.
"We also have an undercover area for our team and our stock, which is very decadent for us.
"Every week I arrive to four perfect rows of vehicles of members waiting for us and lots of smiling faces and waving hands. It is brilliant."
Our Community Pantry supplies hampers for 120 Goulburn families every week. Demand increased in mid-April with the group upping its fortnightly deliveries to once a week.
Mrs Zrilic said some families had reported learning to cook and having home-cooked meals together for the first time.
However, it is not all good news with the group moving to a bigger premises in preparation for an influx of people in need.
"It's going to get worse in September when Job Keeper ends," Ms Zrilic said.
Visit www.ourcommunitypantry.com.au for more information.
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