Strain on Foodbank

Shoppers in Albany who have been hoarding during the COVID-19 crisis have left more than supermarket shelves bare.

Albany Foodbank’s shelves are also being left empty, making it hard to provide food relief for the less fortunate in Albany.

Foodbank is not getting the food donations it normally would, so it is appealing to the public to think about dropping in surplus food.

The crisis food store has placed limits on what people can take.

Albany Foodbank Manager Rod Pfeiffer said it had nearly exhausted all its options for local food donations.

“The unusual buying patterns of people have very quickly filtered through to the emergency relief sector,” he said.

“We are seeing a spike in numbers, and it isn’t unusual for us to help out 30-40 local families a day. (Yesterday) we had three new people use our service who had never used it before.

“I think it is because of the reaction to the virus. There are lots of different pressures in the community on employment and productivity, and that has effects.”

Tinned and dried foods are the items most needed, but he said money donations also helped.

Donations can be made to Foodbank at Unit 2A, 5-7 Cockburn Road, Mira Mar.