Businesses dig deep to help locals

Business has rallied to support community members doing it tough in the pandemic, with more than $4000 worth of donations set to go to individuals and families in need.

In the spirit of this ‘good news’ edition of the Advertiser, we rattled the tin to local supermarkets, pharmacies and hardware stores, and national corporates that haven’t been hit as hard as others during Covid.

And the response was immediate and generous.

Bowen hardware is donating $1500 cash, while San Remo IGA is offering $1000 worth of food vouchers.

Australia Post is giving away an unlocked Opel Smartx6 mobile phone ($199), a Thomson 40inch TV ($249) and a four-litre air fryer ($79).

Cowes Priceline Pharmacy and Woolworths are each offering $300 instore vouchers, while Terry White, Cowes Mitre 10 and Cowes IGA are giving $200 each.

In this week's paper (see page 13) there are details on the giveaway, “Nominate a mate to donate”, explaining if readers know someone doing it tough during the pandemic, they can nominate them for one of the vouchers and products donated by these businesses.

Simply let us know why a person – or family – needs a helping hand, in 50 words or less.

Email news@pisra.com.au, send a private message through the Advertiser’s Facebook page or drop a note through our door letterbox at the office, 2/60 Chapel St, Cowes before 5pm on September 8. Please include your phone number and that of the recipient. Indicate which voucher the person would use in order of preference and whether they could take part in a photo.

Working with the businesses, we will then select those most in need to receive the donations.

Bowens hardware spokeswoman Jaime Haringsma said they made the $1500 cash donation because they were hearing about the strain on a lot of locals and wanted to help.

“Every bit helps and we want to remove those pressures, even if only for a short period, not worrying about groceries for a week, or a tank or two of fuel,” Jaime said.

“Small acts of random kindness can change a person’s life.”

She said staff at Bowens were hearing customers talk about how friends and family members – especially in the hospitality sector – were suffering financially.

“The constant unknown this pandemic brings is impacting peoples’ mental wellbeing,” Jaime said.

“Kids are missing out on the simple things, like getting their licence and just being able to act like kids. Because we are a small community, the effects of the pandemic reach a lot further. When friends and family members are under stress, we tend to take that stress on also, even if we are not directly affected.”

Welfare

Phillip Island Community and Learning Centre manager Greg Thompson said since the start of Covid-19 and its economic impact, homelessness had “become the most prevalent welfare problem on Phillip Island”.

“The Salvation Army – who case-manages each person we refer – estimates they have around 40 clients at any one time who identify as being homeless somewhere on Phillip Island,” Greg said.

“Over the past 18 months, almost half the 17,000 people who came to PICAL during that period needed some urgent form of assistance.”

PICAL’s main welfare service is emergency food relief, with more than 10,000 people supplied with a week’s worth of food since the pandemic began, he said.

“On one hand, it is the whole community of Phillip Island looking after our own, like a giant village,” Greg said.

“But on the other hand, more local welfare services would be very welcome.”

Figures compiled by REMPLAN in April 2020, show Bass Coast was ranked #6 in terms of the economic impact of unemployment and #9 for the drop in wages and salary, out of the 79 local government areas (LGA) in Victoria.

On a nation level, we were ranked at #17 and #24 respectively, out of 539 LGAs.

Over the busy summer, the figures looked less gloomy.

But as the holiday season wound up, the statistics show Bass Coast was still one of the most badly affected areas.