Mary Mac's calls for volunteers
Mary Mac's Place in Woy Woy, which feeds the homeless and other locals in need, calling for volunteers who can cook or act as team leaders.
The call comes with a 17 per cent increase in demand for the service since last year.
Project officer Ms Christine Burge said that numbers had doubled from an average of 38 a day in 2007 to 77 a day last August.
By the start of March, numbers had increased to an average of 90 a day.
Ms Burge said the increase had placed added demands on existing volunteers and more volunteers were needed to relieve the pressure.
She said that, in the two years she had been with Mary Mac's Place, the needs of the community had increased and the complexity of the issues she helped people to deal with had also increased.
"Mary Mac's Place aims to provide people with a warm and welcoming environment and for many people attending Mary Mac's Place is the only contact they have with the community," she said.
Ms Burge said the increase in demand for the service has led its steering committee u a review of the service and formulation of a strategy to manage the changed operation.
Facilitated by Gosford Council's community development section, the committee held a planning day and further workshops are planned to develop a strategy for the continued operation of the service.
Ms Burge said the planning day was well attended by members of the steering cCommittee, the Parish Priest of St John the Baptist Parish, the local State and Federal Members of Parliament, Gosford Council representatives, and other members of the community.
She said that Mary Mac's Place has had to deal with increased costs of food and utilities and these increases together with the increase in demand had severely affected on the budget.
Those attending the workshops would be working on a strategy to address the issue and to attact, train and retain volunteers, she said.
Ms Burge said Mary Mac's Place was dependent on donations from the community to continue its service.
If you can help, contact Christine on 4341 0584.
Online submission, 14 Mar 2012
Christine Burge, Woy Woy