Susan Dowling is on a widow allowance and attends a soup kitchen about twice a month to help stretch her budget. Picture: Martin Reddy. Source: Leader
SUSAN Dowling never thought she would be one of "those people" who frequented soup kitchens for meals.
That was until she attended one and realised there were no stereotypes.
Pensioners, students, low-income earners, people with mental illnesses and the homeless - the cost of living does not discriminate.
"I never thought I'd come to a place like this. I was a bit shy at first. But it made me realise that so many are just average battlers who need a bit of help," Mrs Dowling said.
The Hampton resident has been coming to Cheltenham drop-in centre Matt's Place for hot meals on and off for the past six months.
She's on a widow allowance - two years away from an age pension - which is tough on the bills.
"Coming in for a meal helps you get through the weeks when the bills come in," Mrs Dowling said.
The former nurse was widowed 20 years ago with three teenage children and struggled, but managed to get them through university.
"That's when we had to pull in the purse strings," she said.
Now she saves where she can, swapping to a bulk-billing medical clinic and public dentist.
FEED MELBOURNE
The Feed Melbourne campaign is on again, aiming to bridge the gap and help "rescue" perfectly edible food for charities to distribute where it is most needed.
Led by Leader Community Newspapers, food charity Fair Share and the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation, over the past four years the campaign has raised $1.37 million for 85 suburban food relief agencies.
To donate to Feed Melbourne phone 9633 0002 or go to feedmelbourne.org.au
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