Feeling festive? Woden Community Access team leader Jill Strickland is inviting schools, workplaces and organisations to get together for a donation drive to support The Little Pantry’s 2025 Christmas Appeal. Photo: Supplied.
There’s a table at Woden’s Westfield Shopping Centre where people can donate items to replenish the shelves of The Little Pantry.
It could be a tin of baked beans or tuna, a bag of rice or pasta, toilet paper or nappies … non-perishable staples that can be used to stock Woden Community Service’s (WCS) emergency food relief service.
And every week – at this collection table nestled between Coles and Woollies, and staffed by volunteers – you see the kindness of the community in action, says WCS Community Access Team Leader Jill Strickland.
“We have regular donors who come to the table every week,” Jill says. “There really are some great people out there.”
This grassroots generosity is crucial to ensuring The Little Pantry can continue to provide free emergency packs of essential food, personal care, and household items to those Canberrans who need them most.
The service, which began in 2014, has handed out 9065 food items since the start of this year alone, supporting more than 600 families and 266 individuals.
Jill says the number of visitors to The Little Pantry continues to rise, reflecting the relentless cost-of-living crisis and the growing number of Canberrans facing food insecurity.
“Over the last 12 months, we have seen a new cohort of people who haven’t had to ask for help before – they are trying to pay the mortgage but can’t feed themselves,” she says.
In February 2025, Volunteering ACT reported that the Canberra Food Relief Network Survey 2024 found that most services experienced a 25 per cent increase in the number of people using their services over the past 12 months, with a small number indicating increases of between 50 and 75 per cent.
That trend is reflected in the number of new visitors to The Little Pantry.
“Six months ago, we were seeing about 80 people a month, and we’re now seeing 100 people a month,” Jill says.
The volunteers who put together packs endeavour to include items that could make up a meal, including culturally specific food options for people from Canberra’s culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.
While donations of these staples are needed and welcomed throughout the year, The Little Pantry wants to make this Christmas a little cheerier for families and individuals who might be struggling – and it needs the community’s help.
So why not get a team together and host a donation drive from your school, workplace or organisation to ensure the pantry’s shelves are brimming with Christmas spirit this October? Think fun and festive items like hot chocolate, gravy, lollies and jelly, pancake mix, Christmas puddings, cordial, custard mix and even Zooper Doopers!
During last year’s appeal, the pantry distributed 155 hampers in December, and Jill is encouraging anyone interested in organising a donation drive to contact WCS.
“We’ve got a resource pack available so your team can promote the Christmas Appeal through banners, logos, and posters containing a list of food items as well as where and how to donate,” she says.
“No donation is too small – we will make use of anything we’re given. We ideally want to roll out the hampers from December so we need donations now so that volunteers have enough time to prepare packs from mid-November.”
Jill, who has worked in the community sector for 22 years, says she loves being able to make a difference and see real changes to people’s lives.
“I do have a genuine love of my community and its people,” says Jill, who has also been nominated for 2025 Westfield Local Hero.
“This is 100 per cent what keeps us going. It’s about looking after each other – whether that be in your own family, your workmates or for people in need.”
Winning the Local Hero award would mean Jill could expand the scope of The Little Pantry, including the purchase of equipment for cooking meals.
“We’d also love to be able to offer more fresh produce, such as fruit, vegetables and meat, and my dream is to one day run a soup kitchen from the Woden hub,” she says.
About four months ago, The Little Pantry introduced a new walk-in service on Thursdays from 2 pm to 4 pm, allowing visitors to select their own grocery items to take home.
“I think the option for self-service is really valuable – it provides choice and control, and offers dignity to some of the most vulnerable members of our community,” she says.
“It’s also an opportunity for people to come in, have a chat with us and talk about any other issues they may be experiencing that we can help with.”
The Little Pantry is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, at Woden Community Hub at Westfield Woden. The walk-in service is available every Thursday from 2 pm to 4 pm. To find out how to support The Little Pantry Christmas Appeal, visit WCS.
