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Lithgow and Portland Anglican Church have thanked the communities of Lithgow, Wallerawang and Portland for their generous donations to the church’s annual Winter Appeal on Saturday.
Enough food and supplies were donated to fill over 50 cardboard box hampers to help those in need.
Senior minister of St Paul’s Lithgow and St Stephen’s Portland Mark Smith said the appeal’s focus was to lighten the load on people in the Lithgow area.
“Really thankful to locals for their generosity and our goal this year with Anglicare’s help is to distribute as much of this locally as possible,” Reverend Smith said.
“Some might go and bless people a bit further afield like the Mountains but most of it is going to stay in this area.”
Winter Appeal organiser Nick McKinney said church volunteers were stationed at the major supermarkets in Lithgow, Wallerawang and Portland to encourage residents to buy extra items to donate.
“One woman came over with a full trolley at Woolworths. She just went in and bought a trolley full of stuff and donated it,” Mr McKinney said.
“When I was at Coles a young lady came up and donated four plastic bags full of stuff and she was only a young mum, she had two or three kids.
“She said ‘I had a baby when I was 16 and I was helped out by people like you’.”
Mr McKinney expressed his appreciation of the community members who donated items to the food drive as well as the participating supermarkets.
He also thanked W. Dick & Co Removals and Storage for donating the boxes for the hampers and the church members who gave up their time on the day.
Reverend Smith hoped the donated goods from the Winter Appeal would reach some of those in need right away as well as to others who may come in and ask for help.
“We don’t know everyone in town who needs but there are many we hope to come and better bless,” Reverend Smith said.
There are also plans to introduce a more permanent food bank at St Paul’s later this year.
“Fresh food days where people will be able to come and for a small amount of money fill a whole a bag full of groceries and items.”