By Chelsea Szabo
LinC Yarra Valley has been helping people doing it tough for over 32 years, impacting about 2000 people each week by connecting those in need with a network of programs run by church and community volunteers.
On Friday, LinC held their first Supporters’ Tour, which saw those who contribute to LinC’s work gather in the Yarra Junction Family Centre to understand how LinC is helping people in practical ways.
Supporters heard that through their social supermarkets, crisis support and playgroup, LinC volunteers delivered $2.4 million dollars of value to the community last financial year.
LinC president pastor Daniel Matteo explained faith is at the heart of what the not-for-profit does.
Quoting the Gospel of Matthew, he said, “the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many”.
“So we want to follow that, that model of service and self-sacrifice,” he said.
“Whether you’re somebody that is a believer or not a believer, when most people think of Jesus of Nazareth, you have this idea of safety and security and warmth and and our goal is to make sure that every site that we have projects that atmosphere.”
Formerly known as fresh food programs, LinC runs six social supermarkets from Warburton to Lilydale, and is one way the organisation helps combat loneliness in the community.
Helen Cole currently collects food for her childrens’ families and has been volunteering for 20 years in Yarra Junction.
She started volunteering “to be socialised, to come out and meet other people”.
According to Helen, the reason people come to LinC’s social supermarkets is 50 per cent for the food and 50 per cent for the social connection.
“You get to meet people. I’ve probably met three or four people here today that I’ve spoke to and that’s part of being, you know, out in community,” she said.
LinC have seen a major increase in demand for their food outreach, with the Yarra Junction social supermarket seeing the number of people it did in 2023 more than quadruple.
“About a year and a half ago, there were about 60 people coming through this programme and recently we had 350 people coming through. So there’s a massive increase in need,” LinC general manager Julie Szabo said.
The move to call the programs social supermarkets aligns with the international best practice model for food outreach and also marks the move toward calling participants customers rather than clients.
“We’re moving from a handout mentality to empowering people through our programs,” Julie said.
“Rather than just being given a box of food, they have the dignity to choose their own food.”
The environment also allows those who work for Mental Health Support Local, a collaborator with LinC, to talk with customers who may need help.
As supporters stood among boxes of fresh food lined up on trestle tables, part of why LinC organised the Supporters’ Tour, to foster collaboration between supporters, was realised.
Members of the community brainstormed how to fix problems with food supply and storage and asked federal MP Aaron Violi about governmental support.
LinC treasurer and social supermarket team leader Mark Knoll asked whether the government would consider tax incentives for farmers donating food to charities.
“In some countries in the world, when you read about donations to charities and food service organisations, [farmers] get not tax relief, they get tax credit. And Switzerland and many European countries are now giving those [to] farmers to try and get that food as a tax credit,” he said.
“It’s cheaper for the farm today to dump it, and we’ve got to change that mindset.”
Referencing the inquiry into food security in Victoria, whose final report was tabled in November last year, Mr Violi said this idea was recommended by the committee but “hasn’t been taken up yet.”
“That was one of the recommendations, because for many farmers, they’re happy to give the food away, but it’s a cost to get it from the farm to a distribution centre,” he said.
As well as a tour of the Yarra Junction social supermarket, supporters were shown through LinC Play, a playgroup on every Friday morning for two hours during school term.
Loneliness was a key talking point at the Supporters Tour and LinC Play is another way the network of church and community members provide a space for isolated people to make connections.
Specifically, this playgroup in the Upper Yarra Family Centre playroom aims to provide a safe place where young families can connect intergenerationally with their community.
Supporters also heard about how much of their monetary donations are channeled into helping the area.
“Over 95 per cent of our grants and donations go back to the community,” said Julie.
“However, this is actually an area that we really need an increase in our funding.”
To find out more about what LinC offers or to donate, call 0472 644 476 or visit lincyarravalley.org.au.
