Pilbara rallies for Geraldton Foodbank

Karratha residents have shown an outpouring of generosity to the Mid West, donating two tonnes of food to the Geraldton Foodbank after a charity drive on Spirit FM.

The donation will allow Foodbank to prepare 1000 Christmas hampers to feed the needy this year.

The hampers are essential because Foodbank closes for 10 days over the Christmas break and it becomes impossible to get deliveries.

Foodbank only had enough supplies for about 50 hampers before the support from Karratha.

Spirit FM Karratha’s Angie Ayers said they had “strategically positioned” themselves around town with outside broadcasts to bring the issue to people’s attention.

“We kicked off the drive with a 12-hour marathon broadcast from Karratha City Shopping Centre,” she said.

“We work out in rural WA and we know it can be quite tough.

“People have been bringing not just one can but whole bags of food.”

Foodbank Geraldton manager Pat Hodges said the end of the mining boom had put a lot of people out of work, increasing the demand for food.

“I was worried, I really didn’t think we’d make it this year," she said.

“We just keep running out of food.

“By 11 o’clock it’s all gone — people are literally lined up out the door.”

Ms Hodges said the supply situation had got so bad she took the list for ordering Christmas hampers off the reception counter, but was able to put it back last Wednesday thanks to the donations from Karratha.

“It’s been such a huge effort from such a small town,” she said.

Karratha transport company JSS Logistics transported the food to Geraldton for free.

Member for Geraldton Ian Blayney was at Foodbank recently to give the organisation a $500 cheque and Sand Piper Holdings has also given Foodbank $1500.

Ms Hodges said costs were increasing, with large WA suppliers instituting zero waste policies which forced Foodbank to pay expensive delivery fees to get food from the Eastern States.