Monday, 1st August 2022
Mad PMQ's new Food Trailer hits the road with grant from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation
As Homelessness Week 2022 kicks off, Make a Difference PMQ are excited to showcase their brand new Food Trailer, which is already helping to serve around 40 meals to more than 25 people in Port Macquarie and Camden Haven each week, with plans to expand into Wauchope.
Purchased with the assistance of a $33,000 grant from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation, the Food Trailer came about after years of the community being devastated by natural disasters.
“In 2019 Make a Difference assisted people in our local community that were impacted by the bushfires,” said Make a Difference founder Erin Denham.
“Then in March 2021, our region was hit by another natural disaster, with a one in 100-year flood, which displaced more than 400 residents overnight.
“We were approached to assist with the emergency relief and recovery, and while we were only too happy to help out, these events placed a significant demand on our charity as we contributed over $70,000 back into the community through replacing white goods, bedding and clothing.
"Up until these devastating events our services mainly supported people who were homeless. It became apparent that our charity needed to have better facilities to be able to respond in these situations.
“So we successfully applied for a grant through Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation to help fund the mobile MAD Food Trailer."
The Trailer arrived in June, after getting it to town was delayed by yet more violent and unpredictable weather events.
Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation Chair Jennifer Leslie said the Trailer was a practical way to make a positive difference in the local community.
“Thanks to the work of Make a Difference and their 55 tireless volunteers, people experiencing hardship and disadvantage can rely on receiving a hot, nutritious meal.
“And while we hope we’ll have some respite from them for at least a few years, extreme weather events are simply a fact of life in Australia. Having the Food Trailer means if and when the next one affects the area, Make a Difference will be prepared and equipped to respond and keep vulnerable people fed."
The Trailer will be at Town Green Park on Friday, August 5, from 10am to 2pm, serving up hot, delicious food for the whole community to help raise money for MAD PMQ and awareness about Homelessness Week.
“We are super excited to launch the Food Trailer,” said Erin.
“The Trailer will go out on shift to provide a free food service to the most vulnerable in our community but it will also be used to raise crucial revenue for our charity at local markets, and sporting and community events such as Homelessness Week,” she said.