Cumberland Council is rolling out a new community program to help struggling residents and families amid inflation and the rising cost of living.
The first Cumberland Community Pantry will officially open its doors to the community on Tuesday, June 13, offering residents in need some relief in the form of assistance with essential items such as pantry staples, toiletries and personal hygiene products.
Cumberland Mayor Lisa Lake welcomed the initiative and said that she hoped the program would help provide much needed relief for struggling households in Cumberland.
“The rising costs of living, coupled with inflation and increasingly high interest rates has left many people struggling to make ends meet,” she said.
“Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicates that the cost of groceries has increased by 8 per cent year on year, which means that anyone living on or below the margin is really struggling.
“At least 22 percent of households in Cumberland are low-income households that struggle to manage normally, let alone with these added pressures.”
There will be two Community Pantries that will be located in Auburn and Wentworthville, operated by volunteers from Sewa Australia, the Australia Korea Cultural Exchange Association and Beyond Services.
The Auburn Community Pantry will operate every Tuesday from June 13, between 10am and 12pm at the Auburn Centre for Community.
The Wentworthville Community Pantry will operate every Monday from June 19, between 10am and 12pm at the Wentworthville Community Centre.
Donations of non-perishable items from the community would also be welcomed during these times.
The Cumberland Community Pantry project was passed as a Notice of Motion at the Ordinary Council Meeting held on August 24, 2022.
To donate to a community pantry or to find out more information, visit http://www.cumberland.nsw.gov.au/pantry
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.