Taking the sting out of the cost of living crisis

(Tuckerbox volunteers Kirsty Baker, John Campbell and Don Doering prepare for another busy Saturday at the co-op.)

When you are living pay to pay, there is no breathing space, says Kirsty Baker.

That’s when places like Tuckerboxan outreach co-op – make all the difference.

“It’s invaluable,” the Holy Cross Anglican Church lay minister and overseer of Tuckerbox explained.

“Hardship can come to anybody at any time. Canberra is frightfully expensive, and unless you are in a high-paying job, it is getting harder and harder to get by.”

Every Saturday, volunteers throw open the doors at Tuckerbox, and hundreds of families head to Hackett to buy their weekly groceries at a discounted rate.

“A good percentage of people who come here are working,” Kirsty said. “We are a co-op, not a charity, and people are welcome to come here every single week. It gives people a chance to have some nice things in- stead of being so busy just surviving and living a bare existence. Or maybe it helps them tuck some money away for things that go wrong or when something like car rego comes up.”

Tuckerbox stocks long-life food, fresh produce, fridge and freezer goods, toiletries, and other household supplies. Each household pays $2 a year for membership. At a conservative estimate, every dollar spent at the co-op is $5 retail.

“We principally get our stuff through Foodbank, and we are also beneficiaries of OzHarvest and Second Bite,” Kirsty said.

“We get cat and dog food through Rainbow Paws. We also purchase bulk items and repackage in smaller sizes to cover the cost.”

Kirsty, who has been with Tucker- box since its inception in 2011, said it was her passion.

“When I was asked to do it, it went straight to my heart,” she said.

“It’s something I can relate to. The struggle from pay to pay, the scrounging to make ends meet. I’ve been the mother who has gone without meals because I don’t have enough money and will not have my children go without.”

And it isn’t just about the food.

“We did a survey recently and asked people what Tuckerbox meant to them,” Kirsty said.

“It was food, obviously, but also connection and community.”

Afternoon tea, held in the garden outside Tuckerbox each Saturday, is open to anyone and everyone.

“If people want to have coffee or tea and chat, we are here,” she said. “As we try to expand the café, it’s about being able to sit down and have a game of cards or scrabble – three hours people can just be around others or even sit and read a book with people around.”

Holy Cross Tuckerbox, operating at Holy Cross Anglican Church Hackett, is open Saturday from 1 to 4pm, and the café from 12 to 3pm.