Immediate Support
If you're struggling in any way, give us a call or drop in. We'll sit down with you to understand your situation, provide food and material aid if needed, explain your options and link you to further services if you would like.
Emergency Relief - Food and Material Aid
Our Emergency Relief program is our largest program, offering wraparound supports including immediate, practical assistance like food, vouchers, toiletries, pet food and help with medication, education and transport costs, and we provide information, advocacy and referrals.
One of our experienced Community Support Workers can chat with you about your situation and no matter what your issues are we will do what we can to help. If we can't help, we will probably know who can. In more complex situations, we can connect you to further supports such as case work, homelessness supports, legal services, family violence and mental health supports, if you would like. See our Complex Needs page for more information.
Our door is open, and we encourage people to return to us whatever the difficulties they are facing. We will work with you to find the best supports available. We will be led by you and we only ever discuss things you are comfortable with. All conversations are confidential and non-judgmental.
Drop in during emergency relief hours: 10am to 3pm, Monday to Friday. Please arrive before 2.30pm to ensure you can be assisted, or call us on 03 5986 1285. Please note we close for lunch 12.30pm to 1pm so that our volunteers can have a break.
Fresh Food Program
The Southern Peninsula Fresh Food program works in two ways. Fresh food is available through our walk-up program running on Monday mornings at our main centre, and all week through our Emergency Relief program.
For those in crisis, fresh food is provided along with the other available supports when people attend for an Emergency Relief interview. Providing fresh food this way helps to ensure those who are struggling to get food on the table can still access nutritious fruit and vegetables on any day of the week. The Fresh Food walk-up program runs differently, there are no criteria for attendance, you do not need to register or identify yourself, just turn up. The program runs in our rear carpark from 11am every Monday except public holidays. The food goes very quickly so please come on time. Join the queue in the driveway or arrive right on 11am.
The produce supplied through our Fresh Food program comes mainly from food recovery agencies SecondBite and OzHarvest. Throughout the week other growers and donors drop fresh food in, many via our Peninsula Grow to Give program. Our wonderful “fresh foodie” volunteers sort the produce to ensure it is of good quality and bag up fruit and vegetables equally so it can be given out fairly. We also provide bread collected from local stores and depending on what comes from the food recovery programs and other donations we also have a variety of snacks, drinks and other items available.
When deliveries and donations are low, we top up with purchased produce in our Emergency Relief program. We want to ensure that access to nutritious food is always there for those in crisis.
Fresh Food at a glance
- Every Monday from 11am, except public holidays
- Rear carpark of our Rosebud centre
- No registration, no criteria, no need to identify yourself
- Arrive on time, the food goes quickly
Who we can help
SPCS services are available to people who live in the Southern Mornington Peninsula area. Many services have no other criteria for eligibility, whereas others may be accessed only by those who are on a low income or who have, or are eligible for, a Health Care Card.
Postcodes we cover
Not sure whether you are eligible? Give us a call on 03 5986 1285 and we will let you know.
You can help make a difference
Every contribution helps us continue providing essential support to people experiencing hardship and crisis across the Southern Peninsula.