Boxing up care packs for battling farmers

Happy to help: Jan Stirling from Dumbalk is a full time volunteer for Gippsland Farmer Relief. Mrs Stirling can receive one to four referrals for farming families in need each week and is determined to help those that need it.

DUMBALK’S Jan Stirling – a full time volunteer for Gippsland Farmer Relief – helps oversee that drought stricken farmers across South Gippsland receive monthly food hampers delivered to their door.
The organisation, founded in 2016 by Melissa Ferguson of Yinnar, aims to boost morale whilst delivering support services with total confidentiality and respect for Gippsland farming families.
Jan applied for a role with the not-for-profit organisation when she retired and is now busier than ever, volunteering five days a week – sometimes more – to keep up with the high demand for help.
“We currently provide for140 farming families Gippsland wide and have 74 volunteers across Gippsland,” Mrs Stirling said.
“We get at least one farming family referral a week, sometime it can be three or four.”
Mrs Stirling said the organisation started when dairy prices dropped and farmers weren’t able to cover their costs, but since then farmers have been hit with widespread drought and bushfires.
“The drought came along and if you don’t have rain you don’t have grass, so there is no feed,” Mrs Stirling said.
“Then there are the bushfires – some still burning – and they’ve burnt off what grass the farmers did have.
“It’s not an easy life for them.”
Non-perishable foods are purchased from food banks and local businesses which are then packed at the Gippsland Farmer Relief warehouse in Traralgon.
Volunteers bundle provisions into two banana boxes per family which is then delivered directly to the door of farming families in need each month.
“That’s where it becomes very rewarding, every family appreciates what we do,” Mrs Stirling said.
“I get a lot of feedback from the families via email and phone calls.
“It’s good to know you are making a difference.”
Mrs Stirling said that the organisation has a lot of “awesome” sponsors including St Vincent De Paul Society and many anonymous sponsors.
“We have a lot of people supporting us financially,” she said.
Gippsland Farmer Relief also offers third party referrals for up skilling to assist with budgeting and management of finances as well as referrals for counselling.
“We like to accumulate money so that at least once a quarter we can give gift cards to farming families so they can pay bills or buy fresh fruit and vegetables,” Mrs Stirling said.
Volunteers also accrue shampoos, toothbrushes, deodorants and other personal care products to hand out once a quarter; however this is reliant on people donating these items.
Non-perishable food or personal care product donations can be made at the Leongatha Community House or on a Thursday between 9.30am-2.30pm at the warehouse in Traralgon.
Leongatha Community House in conjunction with Black Sheep Men’s Club are holding a trivia night at Leongatha Bowls Club on April 6, 7pm with funds going toward farming families in need. Tickets are available at the Leongatha Community House.
To volunteer with the Gippsland Farmer Relief and help provide assistance to our struggling farmers, please contact Jan on 0488 445 153.

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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Apr 9 2019. Filed under Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry