Help PICAL help others
PICAL is calling for cash donations to help them continue to deliver vital services.
More than 60 people every weekday visit PICAL for some form of help. But now PICAL, your Phillip Island Community and Learning Centre needs your help!
Since the Covid pandemic hit, the call for PICAL’s community support services has skyrocketed and its food pantry is now the biggest emergency food outlet in South Gippsland.
PICAL President Jeff Floyd said as well as providing its traditional education services, PICAL has been stretched to the limit in supporting the community in a range of ways, describing the past two years as “very challenging”.
“Our PICAL funds are now under significant strain. We will make a loss this year of around $55,000, which will have to come from our limited reserves,” Jeff said.
PICAL is calling on the local community to help them continue to deliver vital services, by making a cash donation.
PICAL’s community support includes:
- Distributing 9000 weekly food hampers and almost 11,000 nutritious meals (cooked by PICAL volunteers and frozen) in the past year, for around 7000 Pantry users who aren’t certain where their next meal will come from (sadly half of these people are children).
- Assisting 350 people in dire situations over the last 18 months, with homelessness, fleeing family violence or other personal trauma.
- The community garden which provides fresh produce and a social interaction for the 40 – 50 people who visit and enjoy the garden each week.
- Assisting over 120 people to find employment in the past 18 months.
Jeff said the services would not be possible without its 165 plus “incredible volunteers” and those who already regularly donate to PICAL.
“A big thank you to all of you, we truly appreciate your generosity and contributions,” he said.
“To continue with this level of community service next year and beyond, including transferring our operations to our new home at Warley Avenue Cowes and to our new Community Garden, we need your help!”
The group is calling for cash donations to enable it to purchase desperately needed supplies and equipment.
To donate, please go to the “Support Us” page on the PICAL website (www.pical.org.au) and follow the secure online payment steps.
Alternatively, please contact PICAL on 5952 1131 or email reception@pical.org.au if you or anyone you know can help, whether this is by a donation, a sponsorship, your time or an in-kind gift.
Please note that PICAL does not deal in second-hand goods and does not have storage, so cannot accept old furniture, equipment or household goods.
