Volunteers distribute fresh produce during a previous Fresh Produce Pop-Up. More than 6.5 tonnes of fruit, vegetables and eggs will be delivered to Boggabilla on July 23. Photo supplied.
A refrigerated truck loaded at Sydney Markets will arrive at the Boggabilla Town and Country Club carrying more than 6,500 kilograms of fresh produce for the community.
The Fresh Produce Pop-Up will open at 8.30am on Thursday, July 23. Fruit, vegetables and eggs will be available free of charge until supplies run out. The event is being co-funded and delivered by JobLink Plus and Foodbank NSW & ACT.
JobLink Plus Community Engagement Coordinator Katrina Higgins said Boggabilla was chosen because the support would be valued in a town that did not always receive events of this size.
“Boggabilla is definitely a community in need that would appreciate having free produce,” Ms Higgins said.
“It is a community that tends to miss out on events like this.”
JobLink Plus helps deliver one Fresh Produce Pop-Up each month with Foodbank NSW & ACT across the areas it services. While the organisation is best known for employment services, Ms Higgins said it was also a not-for-profit focused on giving back to regional and remote communities.
The Boggabilla delivery will begin at Sydney Markets, where the truck will be loaded before travelling north.
Ms Higgins said the fruit and vegetables were not second-grade leftovers. They were the same type of fresh produce bought by supermarkets, greengrocers and produce markets.
The exact contents will depend on what is available. The truck is expected to carry staples such as potatoes, broccoli and carrots, as well as strawberries and other seasonal produce. Cartons of eggs will also be handed out.
The Northern Gomeroi River Rangers, an Indigenous Ranger Program, will cook free bacon and egg rolls for people attending.
Local organisations and support services are also expected to be there. Residents will be able to seek information or help while collecting produce. Transport is being arranged for some people who may otherwise have trouble reaching the venue.
The pop-up is open to anyone in the community who needs support. People will not have to register, show a benefit card or provide proof of financial hardship.
Ms Higgins said rising costs were affecting people in many different situations.
“People who are currently employed or have a mortgage, it’s costly,” she said.
“Cost of living doesn’t discriminate. It’s affecting everyone.”
Limits will apply to some products, including one carton of eggs per family, so the food can reach as many households as possible. Organisers are also asking people to take only what they need.
“We just ask that people only take what they need, because what is coming on the truck is for the whole community,” Ms Higgins said.
She said people attending similar pop-ups were mindful of others.
“People are so kind when they come through,” she said.
“They’re so thankful and they appreciate the support. People really do think of their neighbours when they take their food.”
Ms Higgins said the benefit was not limited to the meals made from the produce. A lower grocery bill could leave families with more money for other essentials.
“The cost that you’re saving on this fruit and veg can go towards paying your rent, the water bill or putting some petrol in your car,” she said.
“You can freeze it, you can make soup with it, and so many meals can be made out of this.
“It can feed a family for a week as well as saving them from having to purchase it.”
JobLink Plus is also taking care with how the event is shown in public. Ms Higgins said organisers preferred not to use photographs of people collecting food because residents should be able to attend without feeling they were being used for promotion.
“We’re not there as a media thing,” she said.
“We’re there to help our communities.”
Residents are encouraged to bring reusable shopping bags, although some boxes will be available. Volunteers will also help people carry produce if needed.
The pop-up will be held at the Boggabilla Town and Country Club, 94 Yeoman Street, and will continue until the truck has been emptied.
For households under pressure, the value of the delivery may reach beyond the meals it provides. Money saved on groceries can instead go towards rent, bills, fuel and other essentials.
