To create a more sustainable model, local community groups have come together to develop a long-term plan to increase the Heathcote community’s access to fresh, nutritious food.
While Heathcote Foodshare may have closed its doors, residents can still access emergency food relief, vouchers or cooked meals, as they always have, from local groups including St Vincent De Paul and the Uniting Church.
Families with young children are encouraged to reach out to their local school, with Heathcote Primary School and Holy Rosary Primary School helping address the needs of pupils and their immediate family.
Heathcote Community House is home to a community garden, which is brimming with seasonal produce that can be harvested by volunteers. A produce pantry allows residents to share excess fruit and vegetables from their garden or stock up on seasonal food when they need to. The community house also hosts regular meals for its volunteers and supporters.
Finally, the team here at Bendigo Foodshare will continue to work in partnership with the Heathcote community by rescuing and providing fresh food and pantry staples to local organisations and charities that distribute food relief in the Heathcote area, as it does for almost 100 groups and schools across Central Victoria.