Back Online – Finally – Gluten-Free Food For Survivors?

Telstra tells me my internet connection is down due to my proximity to the St Andrews fires AND my wireless connection is faulty BUT today it’s working so I can pass on some of the wonderful things people are thinking up and doing to help the fire survivors here in Victoria.

Liz Dowsett says:

“I have been racking my brain to think of what I can do to help the poor people affected by these terrible bushfires. On Monday I was down at Whittlesea and a woman came in and asked for a care package with gluten free food only. Being a Coeliac myself I set about collecting food to give her but discovered that all the main staples were wheat/gluten based. I ended up filling her bag with rice and tuna.

As I have an 8 seater van I thought I would collect and make up bags of gluten free foods and make a regular run down to Whittlesea as I’m sure there is more than one person out of 5000 that will have a gluten/wheat intolerance or allergy. I have spoken to the organisers at Whittlesea and they are very keen for me to co-ordinate this for them.

I would like to humbly ask that next time you are in the supermarket (and only if you can afford it) could you please pick up a few gluten free items (as much or as little as you like) and drop them off to me along with one of those environmentally friendly bags so that I can make up packs to take along and hand out. For those of you who are unfamiliar with gluten free food they can be found in the health food section of the supermarket and have ‘gluten free’ marked on the pack. All foods need to be non-perishable. We need to think breakfast, lunch, dinner & snacks so some examples include pasta and sauces, soup, cereal, biscuits, muesli bars. Often other allergies go hand in hand with Coeliac’s disease such as lactose intolerance so Liddells lactose free milk or soy milk may be useful too.

I know times are tough these days so please don’t feel obliged to participate in this request but if you would like to help in some small way I would be grateful. If I am not at home you can leave the goods under the carport near the back door – they will be safe and out of the weather there. If this proves to be a necessary service then I will make contact with larger groups of people such as the food suppliers, coeliac society and radio stations.

Meanwhile, I hope all of your family and friends are safe. I think as a nation we are not an outwardly patriotic country but when times are tough the Aussie spirit certainly kicks in and the cameraderie in the community is amazing.

Take care

Regards,

Liz Dowsett
Out of Sight Secretarial Services
15 Banks Road
Eltham North

Tel: 613 9431 4425

Fax: 613 9431 4423

Mob: 0421 803 033

Email: lizdowsett@outofsightservices.com.au
Web: www.outofsightservices.com.au”

Will do Liz!