Demand for free fresh and frozen meals, and some company, soars in Ballina

“We are here to help, please come if you need to, no judgment, you will not be turned away, just wear a mask and we will be here to support you.”

Demand for frozen and fresh dishes has soared at the Ballina Hot Meal Centre, but sometimes what people need more than the food is a nice chat to a friendly neighbour.

Resident Gordon Bale picked up some meals, fresh fruit and bread from the Hot Meal Centre in Ballina on Tuesday.

The man has lived across the road from the Ballina Masonic Hall on Swift St for the last six years, and has benefited from the centre being open.

“I really enjoy it, meals at a supermarket are $8 or $9 and I can’t afford that, but here I get them for $1,” he said.

“Also, I know a couple of ladies in there, they give me a bag of stuff, and I come early to avoid the big rush.

“I am illiterate, so I never get the wrong food, here I know what’s cooked, I know what’s in it and it’s all fresh.”

Mr Bale, who lives on his own, is visited regularly by his daughter but he feels the meals from the centre give him independence and a social outlet.

“I mention it to people when I go to the club,” he said.

Ballina-on-Richmond Rotary Club president Cole Lee is also the chairman of the Hot Meal Centre.

During the lockdown, the group is offering meals daily for a gold coin donation, supported by the Cherry St Sports Club.

Mr Lee said demand had soared from 70 on the first day to more than 300 on Friday.

“We do 200 takeaway meals a day, and we keep them in freezers,” he said.

“We’ve had people here from Alstonville and I’d say we’ve had Lennox Head residents as well, but we normally don’t ask people where they come from.

“We were open on the weekend, Saturday was okay, but Sunday was very busy.

“This situation works on word of mouth, people talk to each other, some saw the story via the media, and each day it’s getting busier and busier.

“Friday was our busiest day, more than 300 meals, we had our regular people plus we had a lot of others coming through.”

Ballina Hot Meal Centre chairperson and president of the Rotary Ballina-on-Richmond Club, Cole Lee, with some of the frozen meals prepared for those in need during the lockdown.

Mr Lee said single parents have been a new demographic looking for support.

“I’ve seen single mothers and also single fathers, but a lot of our clients are people who are homeless, other with medical situations who cannot care for themselves, some with financial disadvantage or just lonely.

“We also see a lot of men who have lost their partner and who cannot cook, they rely on freshly cooked meals and take some frozen to get them though the week.

“We are here to help, please come if you need to, no judgment, you will not be turned away, just wear a mask and we will be here to support you.”

The centre is run with 26 volunteers who normally cook and serve meals, but during lockdown that number was reduced to six people.

The Ballina Hot Meal Centre has existed for 23 years, and it was reorganised since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the area.

It has been opening for fresh meals twice a week for around six months at the Ballina Masonic Hall in the corner of Swift and Cherry St, and it’s sponsored by the Cherry St Sports Club and local supermarkets.