TODAY
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Mostly Sunny
23o 21o 23o THURS
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www.wangarattachronicle.com.au
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Thousands enjoyed balloon festival
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tv
GUIDE
Page 3
Phone (03) 5723 0100
O&K netball season officially underway
$1.20 INC. GST
Sport
POWERHOUSE SPRINGHURST CFA senior and junior brigade members have every reason to celebrate after their clean sweep at the Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria championships in Mooroopna on the weekend. Story page 7. PHOTO: Kurt Hickling
HEALTHY BOOST
Food p pantryy opens p doors to more nutritious meals,, with $ $9000 RSL support pp
A SERVICE which has offered a lifeline to thousands of local families during the COVID-19 pandemic has received a welcome boost, as it works to meet growing local demand for food support. The food pantry service, operating from Burke Street’s Open Door
BY SIMONE KERWIN skerwin@ nemedia.com.au
Neighbourhood House with the support of food partners and the community, has been a vital source of nutritious, balanced meals
for almost 7000 people since last year, including many feeling the effects of the pandemic. Loretta Waters, Open Door Neighbourhood House executive officer, said the number of people visiting the pantry seeking food relief had grown exponentially during 2021,
and by the end of the year, almost 3000 people had collected food for those in their households - resulting in food support for almost 7000 people, 30 per cent of them children. More than 34 tonnes of food were distributed during the year. Considering this demand,
Ms Waters said a $9000 grant from the Wangaratta RSL Sub Branch through its community grants program would be gratefully received and help extend the program. “This grant will be spent entirely on the meals themselves, made possible by the amazing volunteers and staff who give their time
and energy to deliver this service,” Ms Waters said. “The RSL’s generous grant will enable us to continue providing these nutritious and balanced meals to those who are most in need of a healthy meal, while also supporting a local business, Food Direct, in supplying them.” ■ Continued page 7
Supporting our local community Our Community Fund recently closed its inaugural round of annual grants and we are pleased to announce we will be dispersing $14,772 in support of several local organisations. Our fund is a sub-fund of Into Our Hands Community Foundation. All donations are tax-deductible. Thank you to all our donors!
If you wish to donate to our local fund, scan the code or visit: intoourhandsfoundation.com.au *Subject to COVID-19 restrictions.
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