Sale Food Support hit the road with a new refrigerated van last week, thanks to a $70,000 donation from electricity distributor AusNet, through its $12 million Energy Resilience Community Fund.
The new van was shown off to the public on Wednesday at the Kingsway Christian Centre in Sale, which has been Sale Food Support’s new home since January.
AusNet Executive General Manager, Liz Ryan said the refrigerated van will allow Sale Food Support to safely transport perishable food such as meat and dairy products to families in Sale and surrounding areas of the Wellington Shire community.
“Through our community engagement we know the challenges faced by Sale Food Support as they strive to provide essential food staples to people who don’t have the means to come into their Sale food distribution centre,” Ms Ryan said.
“We’re very pleased this funding can help make a meaningful difference to the community through Sale Food Support,” she said.
AusNet’s $70,000 donation funded the van, its fit-out and some of the initial running costs. It features colourful images of nutritious and delicious food and is expected to be a welcome sight in the community in the future.
Sale Food Support President, Carolyn Hutty welcomed AusNet’s investment, saying it will greatly increase the number of people they can serve.
“More than half of our 500 customers reside in outlying areas of Wellington Shire,” Ms Hutty said.
“We have seen a significant increase in demand for our services, approximately 30 per cent, due to cost-of-living pressures. Unfortunately, there are many people in Sale and our surrounding communities who don’t have food security at the moment.”
The van will also facilitate access to a variety of refrigerated produce that Sale Food Support has not been able to source previously.
“A refrigerated van will make it easier for us to reach community members who are geographically or socially isolated, or who have restricted mobility,” Ms Hutty said.
“Our distribution will be enhanced. It’s a fabulous van. We thank the AusNet team for their generous donation.”
Irene Bennett is a Sale resident who has been using Sale Food Support services for a decade to support herself and her sister-in-law. She also cooks for a 94-year-old neighbour.
“I do what I can, when I can, while I can for who I can,” Ms Bennett said.
“The van will be marvellous. I only have to ask and the (volunteers) will deliver the food to me.
“Sale Food Support is so good, the volunteers are so welcoming. For them to give up their time… to serve us is a wonderful thing.”
Sale Food Support Vice President, Terry Field said the van will make a difference to the community.
“It’s going to make things so much easier. We have used our own cars every now and again to pick up lettuce from Boisdale and yoghurt from Bega in Morwell,” Mr Field said.
“The new location (on Cunningham Street) is more central and people can see (us). We are getting more customers everyday. It’s really good to be able to help more people, because more people are struggling.”
AusNet General Manager, Gerard Carew congratulated everyone at Sale Food Support, and said AusNet was proud to support them.
“We see Sale Food Support as a complimentary organisation – a not-for-profit organisation providing essential service to the community,” Mr Carew said.
Sale Food Support moved from the Derek Amos Community Hub to Kingsway Christian Centre on Cunningham St, Sale at the start of the year. Church board member, Graham Gunning said Sale Food Support was going “from strength to strength”, ever since the two parties worked together to make the move happen.
While the main focus of Sale Food Support is to provide food to locals, Mr Gunning said it was important not to overlook the social benefits of the service.
“Customers can come here, they can have a cup of tea, and they can connect. I’ve seen them come in feeling down, but leaving feeling so much better because they’ve had the interaction.”
To donate your time, or groceries, to Sale Food Support, or become a customer, reach out on 0493 588 594, or head to 2/97 Cunninghame St, Sale, open from Tuesday to Friday each week.
AusNet’s $70,000 donation was part of the first phase of the Energy Resilience Community Fund which provided hardship grants to business and residential customers, and donations to emergency relief organisations after the February 2024 storms.
