Crucial gift: Local business owners and philanthropists Ange and Jim Andreadis, who have donated the land, with Shepparton FoodShare board chair Jeremy Rensford.
Photo by
Holly Daniel
Shepparton FoodShare has found its forever home through the support of local business owners and philanthropists Jim and Ange Andreadis, donating an empty plot of land on the corner of Donnan and Camp St in Mooroopna.
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The donation comes after FoodShare received notice to vacate its warehouse in Mooroopna, leaving the food relief service in urgent need of a new home.
FoodShare has relied on community support to stay viable year to year, and the lack of security has been the biggest risk facing the organisation.
Mr and Mrs Andreadis have been stalwart volunteers and leaders within the FoodShare organisation, dedicating their time, effort and now personal assets to the cause.
“We have been supporters of FoodShare since its inception, so when we heard of its search for a permanent home, it was important to us to respond,” Mr Andreadis said.
“Time and again this great service has demonstrated its importance in our community. We’re really pleased that our support will help enable the service to move to the next level and remain viable.”
New home: Standing on the land on the corner of Doonan St and Camp St, Mooroopna, Ange and Jim Andreadis with Foodshare board chair Jeremy Rensford.
Photo by
Holly Daniel
This donation of suitable land gave FoodShare the leverage to secure $600,000 in funding from the Federal Government towards building a new facility.
“We are thrilled with the support received to date,” Shepparton FoodShare board chair Jeremy Rensford said.
“Combined with our own fundraising efforts and community support over the years, this will go a long way in constructing a purpose-built warehouse.
“We will, however, continue to lobby state government for a matching grant to help see the project through.”
Despite the challenges, FoodShare has continued to grow over the years to the point where the organisation could no longer rely purely on volunteers and was looking to appoint a director for the first time in the organisation’s history.
“We really need help with the growth of the organisation,” Mr Rensford said.
“You really do need some some paid management to look after it.
“We don't want to be spending too much money on admin and wages.
“Obviously we're a charity and we want to feed people that are in necessitous circumstances but if we're not doing that as effectively as we otherwise could be, then we do need to pay for some more staffing at this stage.”
Leaders: (From left) Foodshare board member Jim O'Connor, board chair Jeremy Rensford, Jim and Ange Andreadis, who donated the land, and board member and volunteer Roly Hunt.
Photo by
Holly Daniel
For the past 10 years, Shepparton FoodShare has distributed more than three million kilograms of food to the 100 emergency relief agencies, schools, churches and community meals programs that rely on FoodShare supplies.
Many of those supported by these agencies might otherwise go hungry.
“We remain forever in awe of our community that has supported us all the way,” Mr Rensford said.
“Community spirit has prevailed again with this generous donation from the Andreadis family.
“While our attention has had to be on accommodation security, our reason for being is the provision of nutritious food for the most vulnerable in our community, these people are at the heart of our decision-making and our focus on providing food relief is unwavering.”
