Volunteers lined up to help feed the needy, ‘unlike in Melbourne’

Andrew Mathieson
GEELONG residents are more generous than their Melbourne counterparts in donating time to prepare and serve Christmas meals for the disadvantaged, according to the region’s St Vincent de Paul boss.
The Geelong charity has nearly 70 volunteers ready to serve up hot meals for struggling families but still has another 35 willing helpers sitting on a waiting list for next Christmas.
St Vincent de Paul regional council general secretary Peter Chiang believed the list demonstrated how Geelong had a stronger sense of community than Melbourne.
“There are a lot of people who are disadvantaged but they still want to contribute,” he said.
“We find a stronger community spirit in Geelong. They feel like we’re not part of a bigger pond, unlike Melbourne.”
Mr Chiang was involved in Melbourne charity meals before running the St Vincent de Paul program in Geelong for the past 12 years. The Geelong lunch can cater for up to 180 diners, with more than 100 booked a week out from Christmas day this year.
Mr Chiang said St Vincent de Paul recorded a 35 per cent spike in attendance last year as the impacts of the global financial crisis hit home.
“Over the past three or four years we notice there are more working poor, especially in such an industrial city like Geelong.”
“Most of them have a job but are on minimum wage and have a few kids.”
Mr Chiang said donations to Geelong Food Relief Centre were up again this year despite tougher economic times.
Centre manager Wendy Greaves said she had noticed public empathy for the poor increased as Christmas approached.
“Everyone is doing it tougher but we find it’s sometimes the tougher times that bring out the best in people, so we have had a lot more donations dropped off .”