Helping Hand
David HODGETT (Croydon) (09:39): I rise today to speak on the great work that a local not-for-profit organisation, Helping Hand, does in the Croydon electorate and across the Maroondah community. Originating as a project of Croydon Uniting Church, Helping Hand has served the Croydon community for 35 years, providing food and groceries, supermarket vouchers, petrol vouchers and Myki cards to support those in crisis, as well as support many disadvantaged members of our community. Helping Hand rely heavily on donations and grants, which enable them to cope with the significant increase in demand. In the last year alone there has been a 46 per cent increase in families seeking help and a 74 per cent increase in Christmas food packs given. Helping Hand source food supplies from Foodbank, SecondBite, FareShare, Bakers Delight, Aldi and donations from members of several Uniting Church congregations, as well as the general community. Although restricted in space, they receive a large supply of fruit and vegetables once a week from SecondBite, which they distribute from the nature strip, with council support and with council approval of course. Not only do Helping Hand assist with food parcels, but they also like to be able to support in other ways, like with back-to-school packs and Mother’s Day packs. Although one of many charitable organisations across the state which desperately need more of everything, Helping Hand rely heavily on kindness and of course on financial donations. These donations are in greater need now because of ever-increasing demands on finances due to cost-of-living expenses. Families that have never required this type of support are now turning to organisations like Helping Hand to help them feed their families. Thank you, Helping Hand, for everything that you do for the Croydon community. We are grateful for your continual support.