Hundreds need food relief in Murray Bridge, and more every month
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Hundreds need food relief in Murray Bridge, and more every month
As the cost of living continues to explode, Murray Bridge’s Teen Challenge SA is helping more people in the region in need of food.
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Murray Bridge emergency food relief organisation Teen Challenge SA, a not-for-profit Christian ministry, is struggling to meet the demand from people in the region who desperately need food to survive.
Despite the name, Teen Challenge SA’s Murray Bridge branch provides emergency food to people of any age.
At the moment, an average of 245 people each month make their way to see volunteers Jenny and Carol at the Teen Challenge SA building in Marchand Street, Murray Bridge.
Even with council funding and the support of a local bakery, various local churches and individual donors, the spiralling cost of living means that people are finding it harder to donate, so Teen Challenge SA is receiving less food.
As a result, Jenny wants the community to to do what they can to help the battlers in the community by donating food and money.
“We desperately need finance,” she said.
“We’ve got to pay rent, bills, and we only survive on donations.”
Of the four people who started the emergency food service in Murray Bridge 26 years ago, Jenny is the only one still working there, although the “Open” sandwich board is still being used and started with Jenny.
Jenny said that she and Carol offer food assistance in the form of bakery items and food hampers, containing canned food and so on.
They also chat to the people who use their service.
“But we never offer advice,” she said.
“You just listen to them and perhaps ask them pertinent questions that might help them solve their issue.”
“Some of them, people don’t even want to know them, and everyone should be treated with respect.”
Jenny said that the people looking for emergency food relief can have very different backgrounds and lifestyles, and she never knows who will turn up next.
Although some of Jenny’s clients are aggressive and some have been in jail for murder, she’s almost never needed to call the police.
“I think it’s because we don’t treat them as a lesser person, and we don’t talk down to them; we treat them as a person who deserves respect,” Jenny said.
Jenny also extends her respect to the various individuals and businesses that have donated food and money to Teen Challenge SA, such as McCue’s Bakery in Murray Bridge.
“McCue’s Bakery have been supporting us for a good 20 years,” she said.
“They give us buns and hot food like pies, pasties, sausage rolls and all that they bake and have left over.”
“Without the support from McCue’s, we wouldn’t be able to do half the stuff that we’re doing now because we haven’t got enough food to give everybody that comes in all the time.”
Jenny is also grateful to the Murray Bridge council for giving Teen Challenge SA a recent community grant of $5000 as part of its Council Grants Program.
At its October meeting, the Murray Bridge council allocated $87,000 in funding to local organisations and clubs, with 10 recipients in the Community Grant category, including Teen Challenge SA.
“The council have been very supportive of us,” Jenny said.
“We would not survive at all if not for the council.”
Donate food or money: Phone 8531 2851, email murraybridge@teenchallengesa.com or call into Teen Challenge SA at 5 Marchand Street, Murray Bridge.
Successful grant applications
Other projects whose grant applications were approved at the recent council meeting included the following:
Bridge City Church: $5000 towards building works for the Hub Darling Avenue Community Centre
Brinkley Hall: $5000 to replace electrical wiring
Community Living Australia: $2231 for the All Abilities Festival
Genuine Support Services: $5000 for the Murray Bridge Mental Health and Wellbeing Expo
Imperial Netball Club: $5000 for kitchen equipment
Independent Learning Centre: $2756 to support young people to gain their learner’s permit
Jervois Hall: $5000 for painting the hall
Latter Rain Ministries: $2500 for a program to assist young people to further their education
Lifehouse International: $10,125 for the Lifehouse Church Annual Christmas Festival
Murray Bridge Agriculture and Horticultural Society: $5000 for the annual Murray Bridge Show
Murray Bridge Community Concert Band: $2468 for a school concert and new equipment
Murray Bridge Community Croquet Club: $2198 for exterior beautification and renovations
Murray Bridge Inter Church Council: $9000 for Murray Bridge Community Christmas Carols
Murray Bridge Lions: $2000 for a convention
Murray Bridge Pistol Club: $1480 for defibrillator
Murraylands Multicultural Network: $9000 for the Murraylands Multicultural Yuntu Walun Festival
Mypolonga RSL: $4000 for a verandah addition to the RSL building
Latter Rain Ministries: $2500 for a program to assist young people to further their education
Wellington Progress Association: $5000 for Wellington Hall and Strawberry Fete