Corowa Cougars Rugby League Club has come to the rescue of Corowa Food Bowl after hearing how the organisation was facing a last-minute eviction just before Christmas.
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Amaranth Foundation, which auspices the Food Bowl sent out an urgent appeal last week to find new accommodation after receiving a termination of contract notice from TAFE NSW and after negotiations made in good faith with Federation Council collapsed.
CEO Julieanne Whyte said Cougars president, Matt Goodall responded almost immediately with an offer of help.
“Matt was very keen to form a stronger link with the community and called straight away,” Julieanne said.
“They have such a lovely sense of community, and a reciprocal relationship is forming.”
Food Bowl will use the Cougars commercial kitchen for cooking meals and for storage of bulk food in an ongoing arrangement until more permanent premises are found.
For the past two years, the Food Bowl has operated from the TAFE college, providing essential food relief and connection to people doing it tough across Corowa and the wider region.
Now, due to safety concerns with surrounding buildings Food Bowl was directed to cease operations just before Christmas.
This was despite an earlier understanding that the service could remain there until an alternative, appropriate location had been secured.
“Originally, there was support for us to stay in place while we worked with Federation Council to find a suitable new home,” Julieanne said.
“That’s now changed, and we are being required to move much sooner than anticipated ... the timing, so close to Christmas, when need is at its highest, was deeply concerning.”
Corowa Cougars in a commanding win over Shepparton Eagles earlier this year. Now, in an act of pure community, the club has put its hand up to help Corowa and District Food Bowl to continue its service to the most disadvantaged.
About three years ago, Amaranth leased the Old Railway Station from TAFE as a base for the Food Bowl, but that building is no longer considered suitable for safe storage and distribution of food.
The former Men’s Shed at 44 Queen St was identified as an ideal location pending about $5,000 in needed repairs.
Julieanne said Amaranth was given a guarantee by Federation Council and was ready to go once the repairs had been made.
“This building is the perfect location ... it ideally ticks all the boxes for an asset to serve the most disadvantaged, so it was an invitation to work together,” she said.
On November 11, without the necessary budget allocation of $5,000, and in order to expedite access, council proposed “whether Amaranth might be in a position to fund these essential costs to gain immediate and dedicated use of the building”.
Then two weeks later, Julieanne was advised that the building was to be put up for sale and Amaranth was encouraged to buy the property, something she said was not possible.
“I was told that following internal discussions and a review of the council's strategic property portfolio, the executive leadership team decided to sell the property,” she said.
“Even though they acknowledged Food Bowl was a vital and essential community service, I was told they could not proceed with the proposal to make the building available for Amaranth's use.
“Selling 44 Queen Street, after it was identified as a suitable site to be re-purposed as one of the most important community assets for disadvantaged residents, is extremely disappointing and, in my view, short-sighted.
“Without secure, affordable, convenient and accessible premises, the future of the Food Bowl is at risk.
“I do not believe council and the executive team are fully aware of the level of usage of the service, nor the degree of community reliance on it.”
Food Bowl has seen a 400 per cent increase in use since January 2024.
Amaranth receives no specific funding for the service which is provided pro bono to the community and subsidised through Amaranth’s other activities.
For now, the service can continue, thanks to the generosity and community spirit of the Corowa Cougars.
Federation Council could not be contacted for comment before deadline.
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