“Reducing the stigma”: Community cupboards deliver four tonnes of food to rural Moyne Shire families

One year after community cupboards appeared outside Country Fire Authority stations across Moyne Shire, the volunteer-run initiative has delivered more than four tonnes of food and essential items to local residents.

How it started: The cupboards were established by Mat Deans and Sue Rondeau, who work in emergency management and both volunteer for the Winslow CFA, north of Warrnambool.

• Deans and Rondeau are directors of The Six C's, a disaster response organisation focused on training local communities to respond to emergencies such as fires or floods, as well as preparation, recovery and mentoring. 

• Rondeau told the Brolga the pair wanted to support their own communities as drought conditions intensified.

🗣️ "We've delivered over four tonnes worth of food to the community through our community cupboards and that's been through the past 12 months. So we've just ticked over our one year anniversary," Rondeau said.

Where are they? Located outside CFA brigade stations at Winslow, Toolong, Caramut, Ellerslie, Nullawarre and Bessiebelle, the cupboards are stocked 24/7 with non-perishable food, snacks, toiletries and other essential items.

🗣️ "We're trying to reduce the stigma of the community accessing food, in those rural and remote areas, the fire station is a community asset that people can visit ... and it's less likely that there's going to be questions asked of them," Rondeau said.

🗣️ "They're outside the fire station, so not only CFA members can access them, but the broader community also."

How are they supplied? The cupboards are restocked weekly through a partnership with Western District Food Share, while community donations also help keep shelves full.

🗣️ "When we get donated things like scarves and beanies, we put them in there as well," Rondeau said.  "We do it as a voluntary component of our work, so we donate the fuel required to travel around to the six cupboards and our time to do that.”

• When first starting out, Rondeau described their mission as “providing food to farming families and eliminating any kind of challenges or roadblocks, such as travel”.

🗣️ "We also don't have any requirements to fill any forms or register, so we've eliminated any of those barriers as well,” she said. "We're really proud that we've been able to help the community in their times of need."

• Locals can donate items for the cupboards through Western District Food Share.