By Laura Michell
Whittlesea Community Connections (WCC) is offering increased support to locals experiencing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
The Epping organisation has adapted its services to respond to the crisis, which has resulted in an increase in the number of people seeking support.
In the past two weeks, the number of people seeking material aid has risen by 10 per cent compared to the previous two weeks, and is expected to increase further.
Emergency relief co-ordinator Ginette Beguely said people were accessing welfare services they never thought they would have to access.
“People are scared about what tomorrow might bring, how they will pay the rent or mortgage, how they will feed their families,” she said.
Ms Beguely said Whittlesea residents experiencing difficulty should contact WCC’s new response line to seek help with food, financial assistance or casework support.
The Whittlesea Food Collective has also begun delivering food packages and cooked meals to people in need and will continue to scale up to meet the growing demand.
It follows a Whittlesea council decision to increase its financial support for WCC by $50,000.
Community members and other WCC partners, such as Yarra Valley Water, have also made donations.
WCC services, such as legal assistance, have transitioned from face-to-face to over the phone to ensure they can continue to offer support while abiding by social distancing restrictions.
For help, information or to volunteer, contact: Response line: 9401 6644 (Monday to Friday, 9am- 1pm), legal service: 9401 6655 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm), Friendly Connections: friendlyconnections@whittleseacc.org.au or 0473 019 831.
