General News
24 June, 2025
Cost of living bites
ARARAT’s Emergency Relief Committee is seeing unprecedented demand as the cost of living crisis continues to impact families across the region.
Coordinated by Noelle Forth, the service is a partnership between the Uniting Church Outreach, Anglican Church, Salvation Army, Life Links Church, and St Vincent de Paul, with 40 dedicated volunteers operating out of five locations.
“We did a pop-up emergency relief out at Willaura recently and signed up nine new families in one day. That’s huge,” Ms Forth said.
From elderly residents to young couples, more people are reaching out for help each week.
“Across the board, we’re seeing two to three new people every week. We have a thousand clients on our books,” said Ms Forth.
The service covers families from Great Western through to Beaufort, Willaura, and as far as Avoca.
In just one recent week, the service supported 39 households in one day. Over a typical month, they assist between 200 and 250 households.
“People who used to come once a month are now coming weekly. Sometimes we can help with the odd thing recently we supplied people with water cartage, because they are out of water,” she said.
Accessing Foodbank Ballarat every five weeks has been vital in keeping up with the need.
“We access Foodbank in Ballarat, we can get fresh fruit and veggies and they give us frozen food as well so it could be pizza, frozen dinners, anything.”
She added that the rising cost of essentials like meat, combined with Ararat’s rental market and lack of housing, is driving more families into crisis.
Ms Forth estimates there are 20 to 25 people who are homeless in Ararat.
“Housing is hard to get, we've got more homeless here. I don’t think people see them but they are there,” she said.
The service is also shifting focus to provide emotional support.
“We are providing more emotional support than we did before. People are more desperate. We are seeing more and more people with mental health issues they are really struggling not only with their mental health but balancing, paying bills and all that,” Ms Forth said.
Dave Tolputt from Life Links Church said the role of emergency relief now extends well beyond filling a cupboard.
“Emergency relief, in my view, people come, they don't have food security,” he said.
“But if we can create a space around a table, it’s like a family kitchen table, and we have some people who are able to feel compassionate and able to hear others stories,” he said.
“It’s about inviting people to be part of the community, not just existing on the edge of it.”
Volunteers are always welcome, particularly to assist with Ballarat food pickups.
Ahead of a bitterly cold winter, donations of blankets and winter coats are also needed.
To lend a hand or find out more, contact Noelle Forth on 0427 009 490.
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