RURAL charity Aussie Helpers is ramping up its distribution of donated goods throughout the Gunnedah region after opening a new base in town last week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Non-perishable goods have been flowing in from the charity’s Dubbo base as well as from the Gunnedah community.
Tuesday saw an influx of donated goods as a truckload of fresh produce arrived from Merriwa as part of the Feed A Farmer organisation.
Aussie Helpers team member Dave Moon said the charity was working hard to give local farmers as much assistance as possible.
“We are always trying to think outside of the box and come up with new ways to help out,” Mr Moon said.
“Just the other day we acquired a temporary coolroom for our Gunnedah site, so now we will be able to distribute fresh produce such as fruit, vegetables and meat to those who need it.”
Mr Moon said Aussie Helpers received the produce through its partnership with Feed A Farmer.
That organisation’s co-ordinator Matthew Grace said its fundraising efforts had been very successful so far.
“We have been fundraising for about a month now and the response has been fantastic,” Mr Grace said.
“Our concept of fundraising – to buy from farmers who otherwise may not have got a price for their product and then distributing the product to those who need it – has been really well-received.
“I’d say in our first month we have probably raised enough to keep us going for the next six to 12 months.”
Read Also:
As well fresh produce, vital stock feed made its way to the Gunnedah base on Tuesday, all the way from Queensland thanks to travelling student Kai Collishaw.
“Every week I travel down from the Sunshine Coast through Gunnedah to go to Dubbo for university,” Mrs Collishaw said.
“I figured I was driving through here every week anyway, and I know how tough things are and this seemed like a really good way for me to help out.”
Mrs Collishaw said Tuesday’s delivery would be the first of weekly deliveries.
“Today we have got stuff like pasture boost pellets, sheep nuts and economy grain,” she said.
“There’s a little bit of everything so that people can feed their horses, sheep and cattle.”
Mr Moon said Tuesday’s deliveries were earmarked to be distributed in Goolhi later in the week.
“At this stage we will have a delivery of fodder for 12 families arriving in Goolhi on Friday,” Mr Moon said.
“We will also be looking to distribute the fresh produce we have received while we are there.”