Church faces tenfold increase in demand for hampers

Southwest churches are being hit with an increase in the demand for food aid and vouchers as lockdowns hit pay packets

Instead of providing about 20 hampers for needy residents, this week Inala Citipointe has already been asked for 200 by residents facing an uncertain future.

Two major churches in Inala and Forest Lake are facing a rapid increase in calls for welfare help as the impact of coronavirus shutdowns and job losses spread through the community.

Forest Lake Uniting Church congregation minister Rev Russell Reynoldson said he was working with the Citipointe Church at Inala and Foodbank to keep across unfolding demand for help.

Citipointe Pastor Tim McDonald said the demand for hampers this week had jumped from about 20 a week usually to 200.

“We have just finished setting up a new building called our marketplace on Freeman Rd that contains an op shop and grocery outlet, which offers cheap or free groceries to those in need.

“Centrelink is struggling to cope with the numbers, people are going home empty-handed, and we are expecting a vastly increased demand.”

Pastor Tim said there were three things people could do to help: donate groceries at Freeman Rd; volunteer, truck drivers particularly welcome; or give money.

“We have lost all our volunteer truck drivers, they were all elderly people, we’ve lost them all in a week because they want to self-isolate at home; and if people give us money, we can buy the food cheaper, so it goes further.

“Normally on a day without the virus we help people out with fuel vouchers and sometimes food hampers, but it’s not our main business,” Rev Russell said.

“Now, we are seeing a whole new group of people who are unsure about their Centrelink money, and in two or three weeks when pay packets have gone down, people will start to struggle.

“The demand for help has already increased, and the churches always collectively have some food and vouchers available to help those in need.”

Citipointe Church Inala Pastor Tim McDonald, Forest Lake Uniting Church Rev Russell Reynoldson and Foodbank representative Ashleigh Wallace.

Rev Russell said people usually felt bad about asking for help.

“They’ll ask family to help first, but people can give me a call, we will help regardless of any challenges with lockdowns,” he said.

Rev Russell said the food and other goods the churches would distribute came from community donations, or were purchased at reduced cost via Foodbank.

He said the welfare groups were making renewed efforts to work collectively to help as many people as possible.

“What can people do: first, they can be kind to each other; and they can make a financial contribution, or donate non-perishable items,” Rev Russell said.

“Better still, help out a neighbour.

“Do what you can be stop the virus but don’t forget to be a human being.”

Brisbane City councillor (Forest Lake) Charles Strunk said he had heard of growing numbers of people losing jobs, having to let their staff go and having to close businesses.

“I encourage people to please be kind to one another, this is not the time to treat each other poorly,” he said.

■ Brisbane City councillor (Forest Lake) Charles Strunk is providing useful COVID-19 community updates on his Forest Lake Ward Facebook page

■ Food, cash or voucher donations can be made by contacting Brisbane City Council Forest Lake ward office in Inala 3407 1211; Citipointe Church, Inala, phone [phone]; or, Forest Lake Uniting Church, Ellen Grove, 3372 2299

■ Rev Russell is livestreaming a message of reflection daily from 8am and his whole service on Sundays, with just the allowed 10 people taking part

■ Citipointe churches in Brisbane are also live streaming their services from Carindale