The Pantry

The Pantry is located on the premises of Youth With A Mission in Watson, and is open Thursdays 10am-3pm.

Our vision for the Pantry continues with the same values: to endeavor to provide low cost food and household goods to the disadvantaged and vulnerable in our area whilst providing them a place of hospitality, love and care to enjoy friendship and acceptance.

We would estimate that we provide food and household products for close to 250 people per week. They broadly fit into the following categories: Aged pensioners, singles (many with disabilities), single parent families, low income families, students, the homeless and new immigrants to Australia. A local Community Centre, Northside Community, continues to bring a bus load of people every week. We have also had referrals from ACT Housing, Financial Care, Canberra Institute of Technology, St Vincent de Paul, Salvation Army and Companion House.

Our support network continues to grow. We are grateful to Foodbank, O’Connor Uniting Church, YWAM Canberra, Hope Korean Church, Dickson Baptist Church, Brumbies Bakery in Ainslie, Intertrading and other individuals for their generous financial gifts, gifts in kind and volunteers.

We have been able to renovate an adjacent demountable building as an extension to The Pantry to provide household cleaning products and toiletries. These are primarily sourced through Intertrading in Sydney. Our program “Hands On”, designed to teach and enable skill development to those interested in being able to make things to bless others, has been on hold for most of the year due to illness and surgery of our co-ordinator. We expect to resume soon. Mentoring in healthy living and budgeting continues on a one to one basis and we are looking to provide free English classes for those in need.

Donations to the Canberra Pantry are tax deductible and can be made through the Australian Mercy Secure Site