Bank and community centre partner on Care Appeal

THE Mutual Bank is partnering with Dungog Shire Community Centre (DSCC) to help fill the community pantry for those in need.

DSCC Manager Kate Murphy said the centre keeps a stock of groceries in its Dowling Street office to help families and single people struggling with living costs, as part of the centre’s Emergency Relief Program.

“Our Emergency Relief Program tries to keep a stock of groceries in the community pantry, but they are always in such high demand, it is hard to keep it full,” she said.

“We really appreciate our community’s generosity all through the year and simply popping an extra tin of soup or other pantry item in with your groceries can make an enormous difference to those struggling.”

The Mutual Bank’s Chief Member Officer Matthew Dunnill said the bank has proudly partnered with the community centre for a number of years to support people in need.

“Our staff, members and the wider community have been so kind in the past, donating a few items each which all add up,” he said.

“We hope that the community will get behind this year’s care appeal by dropping even just one extra item into their shopping trolley knowing it will help ease someone else’s plight,” he said.

Suggested items to donate include:

– baby items such as wipes,

– gift cards,

– personal hygiene items such as toothpaste, deodorant and soap,

– long-life products such as milk or custard,

– tea and coffee,

– pasta and pasta sauce,

– Canned fruit.

The Dungog Shire Community Centre was established in 1982 and provides community services for residents from Gresford to Clarence Town, Dungog to Paterson, Vacy to Martins Creek and the communities in between.

Items can be dropped into The Mutual Bank’s Dowling Street Dungog Branch weekdays and Saturday morning.