By Casey Neill
Greater Dandenong’s most vulnerable will go hungry unless Avocare can raise $100,000 in the next 90 days.
Founder Trish Keilty made an impassioned plea for help online after the social enterprise’s six-month quest for a new home turned up nothing.
The lease on its Dandenong South warehouse is about to expire.
“Finding a suitable site in the City of Greater Dandenong has proven far more difficult and far more expensive than we anticipated,” she said.
Every week, Avocare rescues 23 tonnes of fresh, perishable and non-perishable food items.
“At our distribution warehouse, 150 people on our training and employment programs actively assist in the dissemination of the donated food and material aid,” Ms Keilty said.
Weekly, 125 charities in the Greater Dandenong and surrounds pick up and distribute food to struggling families and those who would otherwise go hungry.
Ms Keilty, Greater Dandenong’s reigning Citizen of the Year, said the food delivered was equivalent to 32,000 meals.
“The cost to deliver one of our meals is just $3.30,” she said.
“Imagine if everyone in Dandenong could spare just $3.30.
“We could reach our target.”
She also called out to anyone who might know of a suitable warehouse in the Dandenong area that Avocare could relocate to.
Ms Keilty started Avocare in 2003.
“Over the last decade the demand for our services has dramatically escalated,” she said.
“In the last three years demand has increased more than 40 per cent.”
Contact at trish@avocare.org.au or visit www.avocare.org.au to help.
