VALLEY OF PLENTY

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

“I don't think anyone should go hungry, especially in Australia. With the cost of living going up a lot lately, more people are going to need help, and the needs are going to be greater.” by Ashley Stanton

This quote is from Ricklin, a volunteer at the ADRA Plenty Valley program in Victoria. This program operates a community food pantry, run by volunteers from the local Plenty Valley and Mernda Community Seventh-day Adventist Churches. In a state that has endured devastating bushfires and the debilitating effects of Covid lockdowns, the demand for food relief has never been greater. Ronni Kahn, founder and chief executive at OzHarvest, says that searches for food relief on their website are up 62 per cent from pre-Covid times. And the team at ADRA Plenty Valley are doing their part to help their community get through these difficult times.

“We have a team of volunteers who shop and deliver personalised food hampers to clients referred to us by Whittlesea Community Connections (WCC),” says Donna Pascoe, manager of ADRA Plenty Valley. “We provide fresh fruit, vegetables and meat along with non-perishable food items and toiletries. We are here to serve!”

Desiring to be a beacon of hope in challenging times, the ADRA Plenty Valley team are motivated by their Christian values to share the love of God with their community through their actions and service.

“I have only ever received really positive and grateful feedback from clients regarding the hampers they have received from ADRA,” says Ginette Beguely, emergency relief coordinator/ caseworker at WCC. “Many clients have told us that the hampers are incredibly lovely and well thought out in terms of what is provided.”

For many of the volunteers involved, they desire to show their community that they care about them and that their doors are always open to offer love and support.

“I think being involved with the ADRA pantry is a great way to help people that are going through some hard times,” says Ricklin. “And I trust it gives hope to those who may have lost a bit of hope. It shows we care about them.

“It means a lot to me that I can be Jesus’ hands and feet to those around me in my community. Jesus said, ‘Freely you have received, freely give.’”

ADRA supports a wide variety of ministries and initiatives throughout Australia and New Zealand. Ashley Stanton lives in Sydney, where she works in its communication and marketing team. Signs of the Times is a proud partner of ADRA.

SUPPLIED Honest feedback from a recent client:

I walked alone. Starving and desolate Broken and bereft I prayed for relief Searching on barren land For a modicum of peace No light to be seen And when all hope was gone In my place stood a withered twig The bright dawn Of a prayer answered Of salvation on the darkened hue There was YOU