Asylum Seeker Resource Centre lands $8k for kitchen equipment
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre has been named a 2019 Feed Victoria grant recipient and they couldn’t be happier. Here’s how the selfless charity is choosing to use their money to help asylum seekers in need.
North West
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Supermarket style shopping trolleys and shiny new kitchen equipment are on their way to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre thanks to the help of the Feed Victoria appeal.
The charity has been awarded an $8173 Feed Victoria grant for new equipment for their Foodbank grocery store and community meals program, including 10 supermarket style shopping trolleys, two delivery trolleys and plenty of large rice cookers, knives and pots.
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre community food program manager Lisa Fitzgerald said it felt “fantastic” to be a recipient of the grant.
“Most of our money goes towards purchasing food and we had no money to purchase new knives and rice cookers, the kinds of things a community kitchen really needs,” she said.
“We’re really looking forward to it, I know what a difference it makes to have the right instruments to do the cooking.”
The centre works to support people seeking asylum in Australia by providing them with support and services that address their basic needs.
The Foodbank is set up like a supermarket where everything is free.
The community meals program runs a free self-serve buffet style lunch on weekdays and a dinner on Wednesday’s for members in need.
More than 270 people volunteer to help between the two programs.
“It’s quite an awesome atmosphere with over 200 people coming each day and delicious smells coming out of the kitchen,” Ms Fitzgerald said.
The program helps about 220 families each week and feeds more than 650 people, with more than half being children.
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This year’s Feed Victoria appeal raised more than $319,600, thanks to the generosity of Leader readers and other supporters.
Every dollar raised has been distributed as grants among 20 charities helping struggling Victorians.
The appeal is a collaboration between Leader Community News and FareShare, and powered by Newman’s Own Foundation.
For more information on the Feed appeal, head to feedappeal.org.au