Every Wednesday, Mooroolbark’s The Terrace is brought to life as volunteers host a food relief market.
The Shop 16 Food Relief initiative, supported by Outer East Foodshare, caters to over 100 families a week by providing fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, eggs, pantry items and bread.
Coming up on Wednesday 9 July The Terrace will be transformed into a mega market, with one of the regular suppliers donating “two or three tonne of food” for this special event.
Food relief coordinator Jenny Knoop said it would be twice the size of the normal weekly market, allowing many more people to leave with a grocery shop for free.
“All the food was headed for landfill, so it’s a war on waste as well,” she said.
“It has to go by the end of the day, or it goes to different pantries. All our off cuts and everything go to the garden, or people’s animals and that sort of thing. So nothing’s wasted.”
The mega market will be held at the same time as the regular market, beginning at 12pm. It’s wheelchair accessible, with parking behind the shopping centre. Come prepared with shopping bags.
Everyone is welcome, with volunteers in Shop 16 also providing tea and coffee for anyone who would like to stay for conversation and connection.
“We have the same people who come each week on a Wednesday, but there are always new ones. So some don’t come, some stay a little while. Some come in, have a drink and go again. It’s an ever-changing group,” volunteer Rochelle said.
The Shop 16 pantry is also stocked daily with different items, with bread out the front most days and sometimes fresh fruit or vegetables, depending on what is donated.
“We also have wonderful businesses that donate what they can – like our friends at Domino’s pizza Croydon. They supply us with yummy pizzas on a fortnightly basis which we love,” Jenny said.
This means that people who come to get groceries on a Wednesday also get to enjoy some pizza before they leave.
Operating under the Shop 16 Community Connect banner, which is open weekdays from 10am to 3pm, the not-for-profit, volunteer-run group has shelves of books and DVDs available for people to take, frozen meals to hand out on request, activities and just a friendly face each day.
“There is always someone there to make a person feel welcome and make them a cuppa and have a chat,” Jenny said.
With the aim of “community helping community“, Jenny said any form of assistance would be welcomed.
“You can donate non-perishables to our community pantry, or if you have fresh food – end of line or excess stock or if you are a generous business for some financial help.
“We always need new volunteers for supermarket pick ups, market help, tea and coffee making or Shop 16 assistance. Please pop in for a chat.”
The Terrace’s rear car park can be located on Charles Street. Shop 16 is located inside the shopping centre at 66-74 Brice Avenue Mooroolbark.
