Beacon of hope for the community
The Woy Woy Community Food Pantry has become a beacon of hope for the community.
The pantry was established by the Woy Woy Seventh-day Adventist church on the Central Coast of New South Wales. Supported by SecondBite, it provides affordable food packages for people who are struggling, including fresh fruit, vegetables, frozen meat and toiletries. For those unable to attend in person, the packages are assembled and delivered to them.
Previously operating fortnightly on a Friday, the pantry is now open weekly, feeding around 100 clients per week. Due to overwhelming demand, the church recently extended the service to Thursday evenings to cater for those unable to attend during the daytime.
Church pastor Michael Parker explained that many in the community have been facing hardship since the Covid pandemic. “We found that there are quite a lot of people who were struggling during and after Covid and had found themselves between jobs—and the government payments just weren’t keeping up,” he said. “A lot of people found themselves completely destitute and with no money.”
The church is also focusing on a range of other activities, including a weekly soup kitchen.
“We started a Friday night soup kitchen in the church so that people have a place to socialise and have a decent meal. That has grown, and it’s no longer soup it’s a full-blown meal, and we have 20 to 30 people coming every Friday night now,” Pastor Parker said.
The church is now looking to the future, with plans to expand its facilities to better serve the community. They aim to demolish the current building and create a new centre with a focus on community service. It will include a food pantry, mental health counselling services and a not-for-profit café where people can gather, relax and connect.