Hi all,

As things drag on I think it is important for us all to remember that not everyone has jobs that they can do from home. And not everyone’s job falls into the ‘essential’ category. And it is pretty obvious that if you can’t do your job, then you aren’t getting paid .. and then you most likely will be struggling to cover your living expenses … I am pretty sure that hardly any of us living in this neck of the woods (or anywhere else in Australia for that matter) can sustainably live on Jobseeker or any equivalent income (oh, don’t get me started).

If you need some help then please know that you are not the only one, and that there are lots of food services that you can access locally. Some have pre-prepared meals, some deliver, some require you to collect. Some allow you to choose pantry staples and fresh food that you like. Some are more prescriptive. But they are all there for you, no questions asked.

Here are some local services with their numbers you can call:

• DIVRS - 9480 8200

• Reservoir Neighbourhood House- 9462 4611

• Encompass Care - 0422461847

• Salvation Army Preston - 9471 9111

• Northern Community Care Works - 9484 4788

• Work for the Soul - 9478 0888.

Note that there are also some food services that are on the street. Smith Street Community Pantry on the corner of Smith Street and St Georges Road, Thornbury is a good example. There are also weekly walk up food relief efforts under the housing commission flats in Collingwood, Fitzroy and Richmond if you live near those.

Also … we are thinking of you. And hoping that everything can get back on track for you and your family soon.

And remember that if you need help with anything else we are only a phone call or email away.

Cheers Leanne

Alphington CWA are running a little pick-me-up fundraiser this week, full of neighbourhood good vibes in the form of yummy food - scones, brownie biscuits and lemon 🍋 slice.

Order by this Friday 19th. Pick up on Sunday 22nd.

Email here to order.

Lovely to pop into work today to see a great big food delivery from Camberwell Rotary.

If you’d like to donate too then you can drop food off anytime to us. If we are open we have a cupboard inside. If we are closed you can drop off in the dark grey roller shed just inside the back gate. If you have any issues just give us a call 📞.

Andy generally takes all the donations over to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre on a Thursday.

Not sure what to donate? Here’s a list …

If you came to our last morning tea Kalimna may have sent you home with a home cooked meal. We’ve been contemplating how we can reinvent community lunch 🥙 in corona times.

We had some potatoes kindly donated by Gordon Jones Potatoes 🥔 that came our way via Miranda at Melbourne Farmers Markets that we used to make potato and leek soup.

We’ve got lots of young families in our playgroups and older people who live alone, or care for others (and all those in between) who appreciate a meal cooked by someone else every now and then.

Following this, last week I had an inspiring conversation with Miranda and a bunch of lovely people from Cultivating Community - in relation to possibilities around ongoing community food provision.

Cultivating Community is an organisation that ‘runs food and gardening programs to lay the foundations for healthy communities’. They support public housing tenants across a number of sites to build and maintain community gardens, they provide education experiences through their school food garden program and run workshops on all sorts of garden related things.

And they are increasingly hanging out in the ‘hood with Carys on site four days a week at Alphington Community Farmgate building up the productivity 🥕🥦🥬🍅 of the gardens down there.

Our meeting was looking at how we can collaborate on a regular basis in our immediate neighbourhood to use and distribute some of the produce grown by them, or sourced by Miranda from the producers at the market.

It is really a privilege to work with such creative, go-getting, caring, community minded people!

I’ll update you on the progress as we develop the plan. Happy times.

I’m looking forward to:

• More sunshine ☀️ - the weekend was pretty great!

• Our short courses starting (Women in the Shed with Maylei, Woodworking Projects with Dave and Drawing with Louisa are all kicking off this week).

• Arty Gardening on Friday … parents and kids, oldies and youngies … and anyone in between who enjoys creative outdoorsy activities is welcome to join Katrina in the garden and/or shed from 10.30am. This week we’ll be decorating and filling seed packets. Then why not stay for morning tea (at 11.30am with Kalimna).

• Our new play equipment arriving - finally. Lockdown delayed things a little, but we have a new cubby and sandpit now arriving (fingers crossed) on Wednesday. They’re going to be pretty gorgeous we think! Pop past later in the week for a play.

• Catching up with more of you! I did see lots of people last week and catch up on their news, but I was sick on Friday and missed seeing all our regular Friday friends. Hopefully this week!

Pods collected for nature play - in the garden on Wednesday (Playtime in the Garden) and Friday (Arty Gardening) mornings. There are activities on every weekday morning at ACC for young families.