VITALLY important local service, Shepparton Foodshare, have been given notice to vacate their Mooroopna warehouse.
Since 2012, Shepparton Foodshare has been rescuing and receiving donations of fresh and nutritious food and redistributing it to those in need in the Goulburn Valley. In the wake of COVID-19 and given our critical Shepparton outbreak rendering many families in isolation, this invaluable service is more important than ever.
This food rescue and distribution agency is now in urgent need of a new warehouse from which to operate to ensure its critical service can continue.
Foodshare has until the end of the year to find a suitable new premises to meet the vacate deadline of early 2022 to enable enough time to relocate and ensure it can continue to meet the growing demand for food relief in our region.
With no regular source of funding, the task of finding a suitable warehouse is made even more challenging. Since it commenced in 2012, Foodshare has relied on its own fundraising efforts and the support of the community to operate from year to year.
“We have been so fortunate that Thompsons have granted us the use of our current warehouse since they took over the old SPC Ardmona site,” said Shepparton Foodshare Chair, Jeremy Rensford.
“Their generosity has allowed us to operate up until this point however the time has come where we need to look for a new home so that we can continue to provide this much needed service to our community without which many would go hungry.”
It is expected that Shepparton Foodshare will require a suitable short-term warehouse from which to operate for up to two-years and for this it seeks community support.
“We would be grateful to hear from anyone in our community that may have an empty warehouse from which to operate that is ideally 1,100 sqm to 1500 sqm in size, is located near or within 10 kilometres of Shepparton and a warehouse that has street access and a safe entrance for daily food deliveries via semi-trailers and vans,” said Jeremy.
“With limited funds, failure to find a suitable warehouse in the coming months means we may be forced to close our doors at a time when food insecurity continues to rise and when our community needs our service more than ever.”
Foodshare is hopeful that this community spirit will prevail and see them through this latest challenge.
