WARRNAMBOOL and District Food Share is preparing for a massive increase in demand once government JobSeeker payments stop.
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The organisation is providing one tonne of food a week to people in Hamilton and Warrnambool Food Share executive officer Dedy Friebe said bulk food was also being distributed to Heywood and Portland.
Mr Friebe said there had been a reported increase of homeless teenagers and adults.
He said in Warrnambool food hampers were being distributed via neighbourhood houses, churches and some well meaning people.
"Our own local demand has certainly slowed down, both St Vinnies, The Salvos and ourselves have seen a diminished need on the daily level but we're still putting out the same level of food," he said. "It's just going in other places.
"I guess from my perspective all those billions of dollars have filtered down in the community and people getting the JobSeeker payments. They are getting money to survive.
"We're being told right across Victoria... once September comes there's going to be a massive change and an increase in demand.
Once September comes there's going to be a massive change and an increase in demand.
- Dedy Friebe
"So we're setting up for that and one of the ways we're doing that is providing new products like non perishable food hampers and emergency snack packs. That's something that has continued to rise, more and more homeless people both teenage and adults."
