Can you help Southlakes Incorporated collect 5000 bags? | Image: Southlakes Inc Facebook
A local charity has issued a plea for help as it grapples with the rising cost of operating.
Southlakes Incorporated says it uses 5000 reusable enviro or green bags per year to deliver free emergency hampers stocked full of fresh fruit, vegetables and other pantry essentials to those doing it tough.
The price of simply bagging those items is not cheap though, running at about $6500 annually which could otherwise be spent supporting more people.
The organisation, which operates on the southern side of Lake Macquarie, has now launched a bag drive in a bid to ease the financial strain.
The aim is to collect 5000 new enviro which can be dropped off to Southlakes Incorporated behind the community hall at the Cooranbong Community Centre from January 17.
Bags must be new and unused for food safety reasons.
Hunter MP Dan Repacholi is backing the initiative and is calling on locals to grab an extra bag when they are doing their shopping.
“Southlakes Incorporated do incredible work in our local community, throughout the year they will hand out thousands of emergency hampers but need reusable enviro bags to do so,” Mr Repacholi said in a social media post.
“My office will be collecting new enviro bags when it reopens, so when you are out shopping grab a bag for Southlakes and drop it to my office or collect up a stack and I will drop by and pick them up”
The charity has also put the call out to the major supermarkets including Coles, Woolies and Aldi to contribute.