By Brendan Rees
Cranbourne’s Christmas wish came true after the Cranbourne Food Truck received a very welcome community grant Christmas gift.
Secretary Chris Marsh said the $10,000 grant from Westpac Foundation’s Community Grants program would help cover the costs of running the truck as the Cranbourne Regional Uniting Church prepared for the festive season.
“We’re having a barbecue for our clients the week before Christmas, so it means we’ll be able to buy all the extra bits and pieces – instead of sausages in bread we can do some nice salads.”
“Some of the folks from church are coming down to sing carols and play some music,” she said.
Ms Marsh said the church was really lucky to receive the grant, which would also help buy food for their clients through to 2018.
“We’re doing an evening meal on Christmas Day and also on New Year’s Day, so the truck will be running as normal over Christmas-New Year period.”
She said Cranbourne was a very diverse community and found they were not just helping the homeless.
“There are also people in our community who have a roof over their head but they may only be on the pension so by the time they’ve paid all their bills or their rent there’s not a lot left over for food,” she said.
“One of the good things too is that we have a strong following of volunteers and things like that means we actually won’t be closing over Christmas New Year.”
Ms Marsh said the food truck had developed a good relationship with the Westpac bank in Cranbourne, adding “they actually suggested to us that we apply for the grant which is really good.”
The truck, which started in 2012, provides meals to people in the Cranbourne area four nights a week.
“Not only do we give away non-perishable goods but we also give away fruit and vegetables and things like that,” Ms Marsh said.
