Around 500 households from around Melbourne rely on the Community Relief program of the Archdiocesan District of Northcote.
Archiepiscopal Vicar of Northcote, Archimandrite Evmenios Vasilopoulos, who runs the program in collaboration with various community organisations, sent out a heartfelt plea on social media surrounded by the welfare centre’s empty shelves.
Stage four lockdown measures have made transportation difficult and people seem to have forgotten the program which began with the best of intentions and a great deal of enthusiasm. The drive has helped serve the primary needs of many people in dire straits, however supplies have now run low.
“The second lockdown has been harder, even more jobs have been lost, and many people are home with the children, transportation is limited,” Fr Evmenios told Neos Kosmos.
Fr Evmenios urges people to contact their local parishes and local priests to ensure that households in need during the pandemic are able to get the aid they need.
The centre was set up in response to the global pandemic which has had dramatic effects on all people, especially those who have lost their jobs and international students who are not privy to JobKeeper.
For more information about how to help, contact (03) 9998 1898, priests at your local parish or make a donation at the National Bank, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia Consolidated Trust-Northcote District of Northcote, BSB: 082135
Account number: 421289455
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