AN emergency food relief centre in Horsham is reporting an increase in the amount of COVID-related requests it receives, as cases climb across the region.
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Horsham Christian Emergency Food Centre client assessment manager Bev Miatke said there had been far more COVID-related requests for assistance in 2022 than both 2021 or 2020.
"During other lockdowns, we had very few who said that they had a COVID-related reason for asking for food, but in this past week or so since we have been open there have been more requests coming through," she said.
"There are going to be people who have been affected by COVID and cannot supply food for themselves, so we are happy to do what we can do."
She said the centre was unable to deliver the food it had prepared for people in COVID isolation and relied on friends or family members to deliver the relief package.
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This comes off the back of a busy summer period for the relief centre, with an uptick of requests for assistance in the lead up to Christmas.
The relief centre, in partnership with the Horsham Lions' Club, ran a successful Christmas hamper food drive.
Ms Miatke said she was "amazed" by the donations from Horsham community members throughout December.
"In that month before Christmas, it is quite amazing the support we get, people really want to support others who are struggling during that time," she said.
"We were very much blown away by the level of support from the community, which was amazing and always worth noting.
"We can assure people that any funds that we get from them go directly to helping local community people."
Anyone seeking the Christian Emergency Food Centre's support can contact them via phone on (03) 5381 2311 to arrange an in-person appointment.
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