Epicentre Church Op Shop in Echuca is running a Christmas red bag food drive to provide festive meals for those in need during the holiday season. Pictured are Pastor Robert Wiltshire and Sage Wiltshire.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Epicentre Church Op Shop is calling on the community to support its Christmas red bag food drive, which aims to provide festive meals for those in need during the holiday season.
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Epicentre Church op shop manager Sage Wiltshire explained how the initiative works.
“Our Christmas red bag food drive is where we distribute red bags within the community,” she said.
“And community members generously fill them up with Christmas goodies for those in need to enjoy on Christmas Day.”
The bags are filled with non-perishable items that make Christmas special.
“Non-perishable food items, things like custard, puddings and all those goodies that you would enjoy on Christmas Day, for those who might not be able to afford that, so they can still have a good Christmas,” Mrs Wiltshire said.
Community members can participate by collecting empty bags from the op shop and returning them filled by December 18.
Last year's drive was highly successful, with significant community support.
“We had over 100 donated last year, so we were able to hand them out to clients that we have through the food pantry, as well to those in need in the community,” she said.
The surplus bags were then distributed to police officers working over Christmas and hospital patients in palliative and complex care.
In addition to the food drive, the op shop operates a food pantry service providing pantry items, frozen meat, and bread to vulnerable groups by appointment. L-R: Pastor Robert Wiltshire, Sage Wiltshire Epicentre Red Bag Xmas, Epicentre Op Shop
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
The op shop also operates a regular food pantry service.
“We have a food pantry that runs through the shop here, that is open two days a week, Wednesdays and Fridays,” Mrs Wiltshire said.
The service provides pantry items, frozen meat, and bread by appointment.
The shop assists various vulnerable groups, including homeless people and those fleeing violence.
“We can give them food, we can provide them with white goods, kitchen things, clothes and all that stuff,” Mrs Wiltshire said.
“It is good that it's all at the op shop, because food isn’t the only need quite often, so we can help them by giving them what they need.”
Epicentre Op Shop is located at 75 Ogilvie Ave, Echuca, and is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 4pm and Saturday 9.30am to 12.30pm.
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