To Eat or to Heat?

As electricity, water, petrol and produce prices continue to soar, many of Perth's already cash-strapped people, who are primarily pensioners, have to make a difficult decision every day, "Is today the day I eat, or is today the day I heat?"

In an interview played recently on Channel 10 News, Bev Lowe, who founded Manna Industries with her husband John, said those already stretched to their financial limits are choosing the latter, and not having enough left over for that other basic necessity; food. Manna, who already serves in excess of 16,000 people a week through their various kitchen locations and their school-based Breakfast Club, has seen a rise in the number of seniors coming to her organisation this winter, because they can no longer afford food due to the unrelenting rise in energy and other costs.

And those costs are not coming down any time soon, with prices expected to rise another 5% by the end of this year, or on an average, $200 per year, per household (1). Prices have risen around 40% since 2008, and according to a news report by Perth ABC, the State Treasurer Christian Porter says there will be an increase to the Seniors Cost of Living Rebate, to off-set this 'unpopular reality' (1). The Liberal Party announced in July that Senior Card holders will share in $33.4 million worth of payments with singles to receive $150 and couples $225 respectively. The rebate is designed to support Western Australian seniors with their everyday living expenses (2), however, this is a figure that barely covers the electricity rate increase for couples and falls woefully short for seniors living alone, and will not cover any other increases these individuals will have to cover in other areas.

SO, how can you help? Blooming Minds is proud to support Manna Industries. We encourage you to find out about the awesome and inspiring work that they are doing and see if you can help? This is a great way to enact the "Commit" part of the Act-Belong-Coomit message. To find out more about Manna Industries and how you can help Bev and John Lowe, please visit mannainc.com.au

1. household costs to rise.... again. (19/05/2011). http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/19/3221604.htm?site+perth

2. $33.4b million due to Seniors in Cost of Living Rebate annual payments McSweeney, R. (11/07/2011) http://www.wa.liberal.org.au/item/6410

Manna Industries Inc - Citizen of the Year

Manna Industries Incorporated has just received the Citizen of the Year Award!

In 1996 two retired farmers drove past a group of homeless people on a rainy and cold winters day. "Let's go home and make soup for them" said Bev Lowe, to her husband, John.

From these humble beginnings has grown one of the leading volunteer operated food programmes in WA. They provide services beyond feeding the homeless, including food parcels, and hot meals, funeral flowers and catering, Manna Christmas and Manna Kids.

Many homeless and impoverished people have coexisting mental health disorders and charities like Manna Industries are vital in providing support and material assistance to help them on their journey to recovery.

Manna Industries are running the Winter School Uniform Project at the moment, providing warm clothing for 619 children, at 21 schools. Manna Industries have also just launched Manna Assist, assisting the elderly in the community and are trialing the provision of a hot meal once a week at doctors surgeries in Perth, again to try and help as many people in need as possible.

Manna Industries Inc. do not receive any government funding and rely solely on the generosity of the Western Australian community to continue it's vital services.

If you can support Manna Industries in any way, your contribution would be most welcome. Contact Bev on 0410 506 038, or the website www.mannainc.com.au.

Blooming Minds provides group training and individual consultancy services to assist organisations to understand the impact of mental health problems in the workplace and to minimise the human and economic impacts of employee stress, anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses. We are based in Perth, Western Australia and provide services throughout Australia and internationally.

Copyright Blooming Minds 2011. All rights reserved.