Narre Warren food bank feeding thousands faces closure over council permit decision
A food bank helping to feed up to 7,000 people a week in Melbourne's south-east says it may be forced to shut its doors — an apparent victim of its success.
As demand surged, so too did attention from the local council.
At a council meeting last week, the City of Casey granted the food bank a permit to continue operating – but only under strict conditions.
These include limits on delivery traffic, waste storage, car parking, and a ban on sales from its op-shop — a move founder Kelly Warren said would be difficult to meet.
"Our Op-shop next door, where everything is only $1, goes back to the people … It allows us to pay the cost of running Bk 2 Basics and also buying food," Ms Warren said.
The food bank has become a critical safety net in a region facing some of Victoria's highest poverty rates. More than 56,000 people in the City of Casey live below the poverty line, with a poverty rate of 16 per cent.
For former client Kate O'Sullivan, the help she received from the food bank a decade ago is something she has not forgotten.
"It was the best thing I ever did," Ms O'Sullivan said.
"I couldn't even afford to buy food for my daughter, and as a mum, that's the hardest thing."
In a written statement to the ABC, a City of Casey spokesperson said it "[aims] to support Bk 2 Basics in continuing their valuable service to the community".
The council noted the charity's building in Vesper Drive had expanded since 2019 and was located in an Industrial 3 Zone, where a permit was required for the food bank to operate safely.
"[The approved conditions] ensures the community members who access the services delivered by Bk 2 Basics can do so safely," the statement said.
Bk 2 Basics plans to take its case to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) in hopes of overturning the council's permit conditions.
But with legal fees mounting, the charity is asking for help through an online fundraiser.
"It's between $10,000 to $15,000, which is a lot of money, because we've already spent over $50,000 trying to get this permit," Ms Warren said.
"We want to just continue to run."
Meanwhile, despite the uncertainty, Bk 2 Basics will continue to operate while it pursues a VCAT hearing.
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