Kempsey Food Pantry demand more than doubles as locals battle rising costs

There’s a line out the door every Wednesday morning at Kempsey Community Food Pantry.

People finding it hard to make ends meet are there to fill their baskets with free and cheap household goods, and that number of people is growing rapidly.

The pantry has been providing its service for the past three years to Centrelink recipients and those in the community simply doing it tough.

On offer is free bread, fruit and veg, alongside heavily discounted supermarket items, such as toilet paper ($3.50 for eight rolls), toothpaste ($1.70), tampons ($1.70 for a 20 pack), laundry powder, pasta, breakfast cereal, canned goods and more.

Phil and Kathy Lomman, who lead the not-for-profit, with the help of their volunteers say demand has doubled in the past 12 months.

“That’s because so many more people are finding the cost of living really difficult.”

“Today we had probably half a dozen or more first timers that are just struggling. People are coming in crying.

“They are just so grateful to get some help.”

Kempsey Community Food Pantry fills its shelves with donations from FoodBank, the local Woolworths and community members.

“At the end of every day we pick up from Woolies in town here,” Phil said. “We get all their bakery stuff from the day before.”

And at the end of the week, Kempsey Woolworths gives the pantry frozen items.

“It could be milk or yogurt, but as it’s coming up to the expiry date they freeze it so it still has some life.”

The pantry also has emergency kits ready to go when floods and fires affect the area.

“It’s got all sorts of toiletries in it ready to just grab off the shelf,” Phil said. “We can give those out along with food if necessary," Phil said.

Heather, who said she had been volunteering with the pantry since it first began three years ago, told the Mid North Coaster it not only provides food on the table, it’s a place for conversation and connection too.

"We meet a lot of people who come in and we talk to them, help them, we smile to make them smile,” she said.

"We know a lot of people by name now…my heart goes out to these people."

The pantry has about 40 volunteers, but with the current cost of living and increased demand for discounted every-day items, more helping hands are needed.

The community pantry is located outside the Kempsey Adventist School (KAS) on Crescent Head Road, South Kempsey, opening on Wednesdays from 9.30am until 1pm.

Visitors are asked to sign in on arrival. Volunteers often speak to those requiring services to learn more about their story and struggles.