BENDIGO food support services expect a jump in demand as the city's central Uniting emergency assistance service prepares to close its doors.
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But services said they were still unsure exactly how the closure of the Forest Street site on Friday would affect demand for their help.
The Bendigo Advertiser reported in July that Uniting Vic.Tas - formerly known as UnitingCare - planned to close the larger of its two Greater Bendigo emergency assistance services.
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Bendigo Family and Financial Services general manager Jenny Elvey said she had ordered extra food support for the coming week, but was still unsure exactly what the effect of the closure would be.
Ms Elvey said she expected perhaps a 20 to 25 per cent increase in demand at other central Bendigo food support services.
She said BFFS had capacity to offer support to former Uniting clients, but it would mean its food supply ran out a lot quicker, and extra pressure for its emergency relief workers.
Ms Elvey said for those accessing food support the Uniting closure just took away another option for them.
"It's just another thing that impacts on our clients who don't have a lot of money or resources," she said.
"They don't have many choices when they're struggling for some support, just for their everyday living needs."
Bendigo Salvation Army Major Andrew Walker said it was hard to know exactly how the Uniting closure would affect demand, but they were preparing for a possible increase.
Mr Walker said it depended on what sort of relief Forest Street Uniting clients' were accessing, whether it was just a quick food hamper or more intense support.
In July, Uniting volunteers questioned why the charity would close the bigger service, rather than its smaller Kangaroo Flat site, saying they didn't believe the smaller site would cope.
They also warned many Forest Street clients were from areas such as California Gully and Long Gully, meaning they would struggle to access the Kangaroo Flat site.
Seventeen per cent of people in central Bendigo, Ironbark and Long Gully areas were living in poverty in 2016, according to the most recent available Victorian Council of Social Service data.
This was the second highest rate in Greater Bendigo.
In California Gully and Eagleawk 19 per cent of people were living in poverty.
Uniting has been approached for comment.
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