Mr BARTON (Eastern Metropolitan) (10:32): As we come out of this lockdown this Friday and businesses can start to return to work, I think it is important to reflect on the work of those in the community who have spent this tough time helping others. We know that thousands of families were relying on food banks and free meals during this lockdown. Many of them had never had to reach out for help ever before. We have had volunteers cooking meals, packing them, serving them and delivering them. We also had many volunteers calling up members of our senior community and asking them how they are going, providing possibly the only social interaction that person will have that week. The impacts of these selfless volunteers cannot be overstated. Without them we would all be worse off.

In my electorate I would like to thank a few organisations specifically for the critical service they have provided: Wellington Care Centre, Restore Community Care, Outer East Phone Chat, CityLife Community Care, Box Hill Community Information and Support, and the St Vincent de Paul Society. There are many more and we cannot name them all. Lockdown has affected us all. It takes very special people to focus on caring for others in such a trying time.

Community Volunteer Organisations

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