Every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, a quiet but powerful operation unfolds inside the Redcliffe Neighbourhood Centre. A team of dedicated volunteers, led by long-time volunteer Laurie Day, work to prepare and distribute food parcels to locals doing it tough.
In the first six months of 2025, the food parcel team fed more than 4700 clients through parcels, meals and emergency food bags.
Laurie got involved during the pandemic through the government’s Care Army initiative and never left.
“When COVID hit, the centre needed volunteers to help with the food parcels,” Laurie said. “When life returned to normal, and people went back to their jobs and uni, a few of us decided to stay, and we’ve been doing it ever since. We’ve now developed systems and processes, and it works really well.”
Today, the team has around 15 dedicated volunteers, with five or six rostered on each delivery day.
“We get a list of who has applied for a food parcel and we do our best to cater for their needs, whether they have dietary requirements, kids or pets,” Laurie said. “We also stock a lot of pantry items so we always have things to share.”
While helping people is an important part of the role, there are other rewards, too.
“We’ve made lifelong friends through this,” Laurie said.” We even get together a couple of times a year for lunch or dinner. It’s good for the community, and it’s good for our own mental and physical health, too.”
OzHarvest supplies the majority of the food that is distributed and has donated 40,000kg so far this year. Donations also come from FareShare, Woolworths Bluewater, community members and Encircle funding.
Parcels are available by appointment to residents living in the Peninsula area who hold a pension or health care card.
Encircle CEO Barb Power OAM said the food parcel team played a vital role in the community.
“The dedication and commitment of the food parcel team is more than just about meeting an essential need,” Barb said. “It enriches the community by supporting vulnerable locals through the simple act of sharing a meal.”
How You Can Help
Volunteers are the heart of this initiative and more are always welcome. If you can lend a hand with food parcels or front of house, visit Volunteering Queensland and search for Encircle.
Donations of non-perishable food and basic essentials are also gratefully accepted, or you can support the project with a monetary gift to help keep the pantry stocked.
Every contribution, whether time, food or funds, helps ensure local families don’t go without.
Find out more at Encircle Community Services and Volunteering Queensland.
Read more stories from our Redcliffe Guide print magazine here:
- Reddy Roundup: Updates from the Community
- What’s Hot Around Town
- Organic Gardening in August
- Brad’s Business Tips
- A Prince of Publicans
- Ride Into Ekka Fun With Family Savings
- Redcliffe Artist Wins Moreton Bay Art Prize
- Bookworm
- Cancel Loneliness: Connecting Community Because Everyone Matters
- Creativity Connects with Craft Workshops in Margate
- Crafting New Worlds With Emily Larkin
- JJDuo – A Musical Pairing with Three Parts
- Da Vinci’s Genius Comes to Life in Moreton Bay
- Local Faces: Jason Gale
- Margate Family Op Shop
- Walk ‘N’ Talk Sessions Bring Community Warmth
- Peninsula Motorfest Returns For Its Seventh Year
- Woolly Wonders at New QLD Festival
- Young Redcliffe Leaders Unite to Share Their Voice
- Make Margate a Sea of Yellow for Tammy’s Daffodil Day Dip
- The Wizard of Oz to Hit Redcliffe Stage
- Podcast Review: Podcast Review: Behind the B@stards
- Movie Review: This Is Spinal Tap
- Da Vinci’s Genius Comes to Life in Moreton Bay
