AUSTRALIA is currently in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, and Bathurst residents haven't been able to escape the crippling effects of the ever-changing economy.
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This is why HopeCare have been forced to up the ante, and increase their charitable efforts.
The not-for-profit agency currently runs a community pantry, hot lunch services, a youth program, emergency food hampers, and participates in Food Rescue Central West.
Due to current circumstances, the hot lunch service has had to be increased from four days a week, to running over all five week days.
According to senior manager of HopeCare Cheryl Blackwell, the demand for the service has been a result of heightened interest rates, and people having to make tougher decisions regarding their finances.
"With interest rate hikes and cost of living as far as housing goes, you've got to secure a roof over your head first, and then food," she said.
As, for a lot of people, food has had to become a lower priority, more people have been forced to seek out the hot lunch service, which benefits the community two-fold - a hot meal, and access to heating during winter months.
"They'll be able to access hot food every day, and come in and sit in a warm environment," Ms Blackwell said.
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"Once upon a time we would get around six per cent of our clients who would be aged pensioners and now we're up to about 20 per cent of our clients," Ms Blackwell said.
Ms Blackwell estimated that those figures would be similar to that of employed people who are now struggling to manage.
"We probably serve between 150 and 180 meals per week, and then we probably have about 40 families come and access the pantry," Ms Blackwell said.
The purpose of the pantry is to offer a range of items to those in need, all for a set price of $40 per basket of necessities.
"People can come in and fill up a basket with a selection of food, toiletries, cleaning products and those sorts of things," Ms Blackwell said.
"They get free fresh fruit and veggies, and free bread as well as some low-cost meat."
Though Ms Blackwell knows that the $40 basket can't provide everything that somebody would need, she said the goal is to assist families to ensure that their money can stretch as far as possible.
"It basically just helps their budget go further, so for forty dollars, they're probably getting close to between 80 and 100 dollars worth of groceries in their basket," she said.
But the best part of the service, is that of the camaraderie that HopeCare provides to those in the community.
"If someone doesn't show up and we haven't seen them for a few days, we start asking questions, ... or we'll just do a little welfare check on them and hope that they're okay," she said.
In addition to all of the food services that HopeCare provides for the community, the organisation also assists with electricity and gas bill budget support.
The demand for this support has also increased exponentially in recent months, and is set to increase even further considering the recent 25 per cent rise in electricity prices on July 1.
"The energy price rises have been really difficult for a lot of people," said operations and welfare services manager of HopeCare Bathurst Elliot Redwin.
This is why HopeCare is a provider of the NSW Government scheme, which helps people who are experiencing a financial crisis to get assistance with their electricity and gas bills.
HopeCare also offers an additional service of budget support and financial counselling.
"I've never seen people's energy take up such a large proportion of their fortnightly budgets, and also with the general cost of living increases, it's put a lot of pressure on, so we have seen an increase in the amount of people utilising that service," Mr Redwin said.
In 11 years of working in the job, Mr Redwin said that the current crisis is the worst he has ever seen, but is thankful that HopeCare is able to help the community in whatever way it can.
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