HOW THE PANTRY WORKS
IS IT FREE?
No. For most shoppers, we operate on a cost-recovery basis. We buy our groceries, fruit and vegetables, and also have other costs to cover such as rent and power. We are not part of any other group such as a church group, nor do we receive any government funding to buy stock
However, we are still very cheap. For example, spending $10 at the Pantry will get you the supermarket equivalent of around $30 worth of food. Plus if you are in need you can load up with free bread and rescued fruit and vegetables. A bargain in anyone’s terms!
BUT I HAVE NO MONEY
We don't want to turn anyone away who is in genuine need. We have a small quantity of donated food and Pantry vouchers are available from local agencies including St Vincent de Paul, Mission Australia, the Women's Resource Centre, SEWACS, Sapphire Neighbourhood Services and others. We usually have limited supplies of free bread, fruit and vegetables and meat.
who can SHOP AT THE PANTRY?
Our shoppers include:
people suffering food insecurity and finding it difficult to afford to buy food to feed themselves and their family AND pay the rent, power, other costs
people who have temporarily found themselves in need, due to perhaps losing their job; losing their home; relationship breakdown; illness or other reasons
people who want to save the planet and support our work. Much of our stock is bought from wholesalers or rescued. Sometimes the stock is close to or just past its "best before" date but is still suitable and safe to use. In the past, items which had damaged outside packaging, changed packaging, discontinued products, or no longer produced were often dumped. Buying from the Pantry stops these goods from going to landfill. Note, some goods are provided for a specific purpose, e.g. for people suffering food insecurity. These goods are not available to all shoppers.
Do I need to show a pension card, Centrelink card or any other i.d.?
No. We recognise some people have difficulty asking for help or have been required to provide information over and over to many organisations. We know this can be intimidating. The Pantry is a place designed to be welcoming, non-judgemental and non-discriminatory.
membership
We have a membership program at the Pantry. It is not compulsory. For a tiny $2 per year, you gain at 7.5% discount on your purchases plus a free bag of goodies when you join or renew.
OPENING HOURS
Excluding public holidays, the Pantry is open on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 11am to 2pm & Thursdays 11am to 6pm
MOBILE PANTRY
As many of our customers live in villages surrounding Bega, and because some are unable to get into town, we bring the Pantry to them. See more about our Mobile Pantry on the Mobile Pantry tab.
Sapphire Community Pantry is kept alive with not only food donations but also by our volunteers who donate so much of their time. If you would like to give back to your community through worthwhile volunteering please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.