Wangaratta emergency food relief group Loaves and Fishes - Christians Caring (LF-CC) is seeking the help of locals this weekend to restock its pantry shelves.

The service, which recommenced in March following some organisational change, will on Saturday 23 May conduct its first 'Grab a Grocery' event since mid-last year.

Running from 9am to 12.30pm on Saturday at Wangaratta's Woolworths supermarket, the collection aims to restock the service's depleted pantry shelves with non-perishable and essential food items.

Community members are encouraged to support the service, which provides emergency food relief for those in need, by buying one or more food items during their own grocery shopping outing and handing them to LF-CC volunteers who will be on hand outside the supermarket.

Items requested for the collection are UHT milk; soups; sauce; spreads; instant noodles; rice; pasta and pasta sauce; tuna; canned vegetables or fruit; biscuits; tea, coffee and Milo; juice; snacks; toiletries; laundry powder; and detergent.

Loaves and Fishes - Christians Caring met with immediate demand from locals in need when it recommenced operations in March under a new auspice body, Wesleyan Community Care, in a new, interim location at the Greta Road Salvation Army Corps base.

The changes were necessitated by the planned 2026 departure from Wangaratta of Anglicare Victoria, which for many years had provided a venue and had auspiced the service in partnership with local faith groups, as LF-CC supported about 650 local families annually.

In its new location, and running on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 12 noon, the service has the continued support of nine local churches - Cathedral Anglican parish, Wangaratta West and the Warbys Anglican parish, Uniting Church, Wesleyan Methodist Church, Enjoy Church, Presbyterian Church, Lutheran Church, Wangaratta Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Wangaratta Salvation Army Corps.

Those unable to visit Woolworths for Saturday's collection can still donate to assist the service by scanning the QR code on this page, or visiting https://donorbox.org/loaves-and-fishes-christians-caring

* In addition to LF-CC, emergency food relief is also available in Wangaratta via a phone service operated by The Salvation Army, which can be accessed by calling (03) 8873 5288 between 9am and 4pm Monday to Friday.

Other food relief avenues include the St Vincent de Paul Society (call 5722 4959 between 1pm and 3pm to make an appointment), Open Door Neighbourhood House, and Carevan meals, provided on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays at the Apex Park pavilion from 6pm to 7pm.