Elsie Adamo
RISING food costs has put pressure on Mount Gambier’s most vulnerable, as local charity Foodbank is forced to increase their prices.
It is the largest food relief organisation in the region, providing food to more than 100 local charities.
The price increase has come at the same time as a rise in demand for services, but Foodbank SA chief officer Greg Pattinson said the decision was unavoidable given the rising costs of food.
“There is 20 per cent more demand in our food hubs than at the same time last year,” Mr Pattinson said.
“The problem we have is that we need to get more food, but at the same time we are also being hit with all those price increases because about a third of the food we distribute is purchased.
“It is the first time we have increased the cost in the eight years that I have been at Foodbank.”
Mr Pattinson said the only two options were to give out less food, or increase the costs for their services.
“I cannot see the demand going down so we cannot really reduce the amount of food that we are providing,” he said.
“There is well over $100,000 of purchased goods we have distributed down in Mount Gambier this year, the issue is $100,000 could have gotten us a lot more last year,” Mr Pattinson said.
“We get really good support from the food industry, we get lots of donations but as with most things the donated food never keeps up with the actual demand.”
Mr Pattinson said fruit and vegetables will still be free, helping to provide healthy options.
While all food options have been subject to jumps in inflation, fresh fruit and vegetables prices have risen the most.
“A lot of the price increases in supermarkets at the moment are fruit and vegetables, so in some ways we will actually be offering a better service compared to what is available in the supermarkets right now,” he said.
The organisation relies on fundraising and corporate donors as well as government funding, but Mr Pattinson said finding donations is becoming harder.
“At the moment a lot of people are donating to the flood appeals on the East coast, and also to the refugee crisis from Ukraine,” he said.
“So we also know it is going to be harder to raise money.”
The organisation is looking to the State Government for assistance, asking for a one-off payment to avoid the cost hike.
“We have estimated that our costs will increase by $600,000 [Statewide], over the next eight months,” he said.
“I have been given assurances by the Minister, Nat Cook, they are looking at it, and we should hear shortly one way or the other.”
Foodbank in South Australia receives a lower level of State Government funding than other states and territories.
“Only five per cent of our funding comes from the State Government, the other states get anywhere from 20 to 60 per cent,” Mr Pattinson said.
“Tasmania gets more money in total dollar terms than we do, and we hand out five times more food than they do.”
Mount Gambier State Member of Parliament Troy Bell said he would be discussing the matter with his government colleagues.
“I will be supporting their ask, and doing whatever I can to lobby on their behalf,” Mr Bell said.
“It provides such a vital service for our most vulnerable in our community.”
