Hannah Hammoud
Volunteer-run organisation, Halal Food Bank Melbourne (HFB) will be running a campaign this Ramadan to help raise $20,000 for those in need.
The organisation operates out of its warehouse in Campbellfield, working purely off of donations to pack and provide halal food on a monthly basis.
Vice chairperson Ahanee Rind has volunteered with the organisation for 10 years.
She said the community effort from both volunteers and donors is what keeps the wheels at HFB turning.
“It’s a common misconception that there aren’t people in need in Australia,” she said.
“From my time volunteering with HFB, I’ve seen the scale of need in our community.
“The majority of HFB recipients are recently arrived refugees and asylum seekers, single mothers, victims of family and domestic violence and people experiencing financial difficulty and/or food insecurity.”
Ms Rind says that HFB relies heavily on community donations. Last Ramadan they were able to run a donation campaign to purchase a forklift for the warehouse.
“This year we’re hoping to raise money to purchase food items for the next few months and to help us cover our operational costs,” she said.
People can get involved with HFB in many ways, whether it be physically going out and purchasing food items, volunteering to attend a packing day, making a monetary donation or simply spreading the word to friends and family.
