Pantry Update 4th Quarter
It’s only 10 weeks to Christmas! Too soon? Yes, pinch yourself we are in October! The last couple of months in the pantry have been busy with lots of activity going on but we have been so incredibly blessed! God’s hand of provision and favour never disappoints! And as we start to gear towards the last couple of months of the year and a season that can be challenging for some both financially and emotionally, let’s hold onto the truth that God never disappoints us when we put our trust in HIM! He made a way of us all those years ago through Jesus and He still makes a way for us today! So let’s hold onto that hope & joy over the next few months.
Below I’ll outline some exciting announcements, initiatives & functions that have filled the past few months. I want to thank all who contribute to the pantry, from local growers to large food chains, from local businesses to the individuals who slip in and out just to donate. You are partnering with us and intern partnering with God’s mission here through SLO.
Thank you to those who cover us in prayer daily.
Important Info:
End of Years closing Dates:
SLO will be open until Wednesday 23rd December 2026 and will be shut for 2 weeks over Christmas and New Years opening again in January on Wednesday 6th January 2027.
Christmas Hampers will be available in December please come into the pantry to enquire.
God Bless you all,
Maryanne
Our biggest news is that SLO has been awarded a generous $30 000 grant from ActewAGL. These funds have already been set into motion by the purchase of some new garden beds for SLO Gardens, our project to grow our own fruit & vegetables that we can make available in the pantry on days where supply is low. This partnership with ActewAGL will also help secure food and transportation of refrigerated goods for the next 6 months. ActewAGL has come on board as one of our Pallet Partners in our Fill The Pallet Initiative and part of the grant will fund half of our pallet fundraiser every month. We are incredibly grateful to ActewAGL for their generous donation to the Pantry as this will make a tangible difference to many over the next 6 months and beyond.
We’d also like to say a big thank you to Mitre 10 Merimbula who have sponsored all of our recent gardening activities, namely SLO Garden (our project to grow some of our own vegetables) and our front garden beds, helping to make our space look beautiful & feel welcoming.
A massive thank you to Thermomix Australia who are giving us refurbished TM6 Thermomix to be used in the Pantry & Food Van as part of their Mix it Forward initiative.
We hosted our very own “Thermi-Party” in September for our volunteers and community members to see all that this amazing machine can do. This investment into SLO will help us reduce waste by using up fruit and vegetable by making other meals and products that will be available in the pantry. It will also be an invaluable prep tool for the food van. Thank you to Sally Mauragis for your work to make this happen for us and for your time invested into SLO.
If you’d like to follow Sally or find out more about Thermomix you can find her here: https://www.facebook.com/sallykeveryday
A massive well done to our craft group who sent off more blankets to Wrap with Love in Syndey at the end of August. Each blanket represents not only hours of creativity and care but also a message of love, warmth, hope, and kindness. We look forward to continuing this work and contributing many more blankets that will bring comfort to people around the world.
If you’d like to join the group and help contribute to this project pop in on Mondays, 10am-12pm the ladies would love to see you. Donations of 8 ply Acrylic wool would also be greatly appreciated and can be donated at the pantry.
Our Fill the Pallet Initiative has been going strong over the last 3 months. We are so gratefully to every community member who has “sponsored a plank” and helped us fund bringing our refrigerated and frozen pallets down from Foodbank in Sydney.
Together with ActewAGL who as a Pallet Partner, sponsors half of our monthly funds needed we will now be able to bring down these pallets sooner and hopefully more frequently.
Thank you to our transportation partners, Bobbins Transport who offers reduced rates to SLO. We are incredibly grateful for your generosity.
If you’d like to help bring frozen & refrigerated products to the pantry you can give here:
Did you know that SLO is registered with Return & Earn? That means you can now easily donate to SLO when you do your recycling. Just look for Sapphire Life Opportunities under the charities list. We also have a Return & Earn Bin at SLO, so feel free to drop off your 10c bottles and cans. Please make sure they are in a bag. Thanks for helping us!
We need volunteers outside of our normal pantry hours:
Tuesdays & Wednesdays – 8/8:30am – 9:30/10am to help sort and unpack rescued food.
Any day or time – to help keep our gardens and vegetables watered, looked after and growing strong.
If you can help, please come into the pantry for a chat or email pantry@sapphirelifeopportunities.org.au
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