After over a decade serving meals in and around Lyall Street, Cranbourne Food Truck has moved to a new indoor based at St John’s Anglican Church Hall on Lesdon Avenue, marking a collaboration between two local churches.
The Food Truck, run by volunteers from the Cranbourne Uniting Church, serves free meals every Monday and Wednesday nights.
On 28 July, the Food Truck bid farewell to its Lyall Street location and moved to St John’s Anglican Church Hall in August.
Phillip Start from the Food Truck said the Anglican Church just offered to support and asked if they could work together around the food truck. The collaboration quickly took shape.
On the new collaboration, Denis Cody, the coordinator from the Anglican Church side, said they are always looking to help those who are in need and homeless.
Mr Start said that when the Food Truck was parked in Lyall Street, it depended on the weather how many people would come, and now, they have a roof.
“The interesting thing was the first night, the clients said they felt safer here because it’s a closed wall. People can’t get it here from behind,” he said.
“We’ve been able to have more groceries here than we could have on the truck. Therefore, they’re able to take more groceries home at night.
“Instead of coming at sort of 6.30pm, grabbing a meal, then going 20 minutes later, they’re turning up half past six, and then we’re asking them to leave at 8pm. It means they’ve got to know each other a lot more.”
Mr Cody said they are trying to get things sustainable at the moment.
“The phase that we’re in now is just consolidating everything, like improving the facilities. We can hear that the Hall is quite echoey. We’re trying to get funding to do things,” he said.
“When you think that many people are seeking food, there’s a lot more to be done. There’s a lot more need in the community, and that’s what we’re here for.”
Mr Start said it’s two denominations coming together.
“It’s not us trying to build our numbers,” he said.
“People should be getting off their backsides instead of just going to church on Sunday morning.”
Cranbourne Food Truck and St John’s Anglican Church Hall said they would like to thank their donors for the continuous support, without any expectation of reward, including Hot Daily Bread Cranbourne West, Aspire Early Learning Centre, Gemini Catering Equipment, Ivan’s Pies, Alex Makes Meals, Cranbourne Air Conditioning, and many local schools.
Cranbourne Food Truck’s new location for Monday and Wednesday night meal services: from 6.30pm to 8pm, 27 Childers Street, Cranbourne, St John’s Anglican Community Hall.
The Food Truck parcel pickups will remain on Tuesday afternoons at Lesdon Avenue.
