Banking on new wheels

By Paul Dunlop
PAKENHAM’S emergency food bank has a new set of wheels.
Volunteers delivering parcels of groceries and other support services to families in need no longer have to provide their own transport.
The Cardinia Foundation, which supports charities within the Cardinia Shire region, recently donated up to $15,000 to the 4C’s (Cardinia Combined Churches Caring) Food Bank for the purchase of another van.
Foundation chairman Brian Paynter and executive officer John White joined 4C’s coordinator Jeni Mathieson in officially launching the van on Friday.
Food bank administration officer Sue Friend said the vehicle was bought locally and had immediately proved useful.
“It’s been a real blessing,” she said.
“A couple of days ago we had a call from a supplier saying we could pick up a couple of pallets of nappies.
“Previously we would have had to put them in by hand but in the new van they could just be loaded in via forklift.
“It will make transporting items so much easier.”
The Cardinia Foundation announced the donation at the recent launch of its Friends group.
Ms Friend said the van would be mostly based at the recently opened Care Plus store in Cockatoo.
Trustee Dot Griffin said 4C’s volunteers were currently using their own vehicles for the collection and transportation of goods and food for their clients in the Cardinia Shire.
“The trustees are pleased to announce a grant of up to $15,000 to facilitate the purchase of a suitable vehicle to support the increasing activities of the 4C’s,” she said.
Mr Paynter said the foundation also donated $5500 to Pakenham’s Outlook Community Centre to enable the completion of kitchen renovations to allow a range of programs for people with disabilities, kids after school cooking classes, and for carers and seniors cooking classes.