Here's food for thought

At a time before the sun has risen and most of us are still tucked up in bed, Geraldton Foodbank workers are busily unpacking their weekly truckload of food.

However, not even the dark can hide the worry on the face of Pat Hodges.

Mrs Hodges is the relief agency’s kind-hearted manager — and her passion is helping those in need.

But as time ticks by, the passion is getting harder to fulfil.

The storage room and freezers are the cause of Mrs Hodges distress. The shelves are basically bare and the supplies running low at a time where the colder months have begun.

And with the chilly weather comes a higher demand for food.

“We have people lining up at the gates, just waiting for us to open,” Mrs Hodges said.

“On average, we can have about 400 people through the doors over a Thursday and Friday, not to mention we give out about 25 vouchers a day.

“We have agency referrals, pensioners and people with disabilities or struggling families who can’t make ends meet without us, but at the moment, we’re struggling to keep our shelves stocked.

“We rely on donations and, although our Geraldton businesses have been fantastic, with the colder months here, it’s going to be a lot harder to keep up with demand.

“I never want to have to turn a person away because every one of them needs the help. But sometimes, you have to think with your head and not your heart.”

In the morning, the workers in the warehouse count down to the minute the clock strikes nine and, sure enough, within seconds there’s at least a dozen people flocking through the doors.

Susan, who has been left to raise three grandchildren, is followed by a pensioner named Jackie, who cannot afford to shop anywhere else.

Another is a grandpa, James, who often has to care for his family or grandkids and can’t afford to feed so many mouths on a pension.

Everyone has a story to tell, stories that make the hassles at work or home seem tiny in comparison.

These stories have inspired Mrs Hodges to dedicate her life to helping others.

“Just a $10 donation can make 20 meals,” she said.

“People don’t realise it’s such a small amount for most of us that goes such a long way for someone else.

“So grab those extra cans of food out of the pantry and allow someone else to have access to one of our most basic rights, to eat.”

To find out how to donate food or volunteer, phone 9964 8011.