Today our honestly letter to the neighbourhood is actually two letters … from a teacher and a student.

You’ll find it on the milk bar window.

Only 40 out there so pop past and secure yours ASAP!

Chance would have it that major works out the front of ACC were scheduled for after the Alphington Show … and just in time for coronavirus lockdown. In some ways (not that we would ever wish a pandemic on anyone anywhere) given how much of a hoo-ha they ended up being, it has been perfect timing.

Over the last couple of weeks Kalimna has captured some of the work going on in the garden with the gardening group and by the two lots of contractors (for the ramp and the pergola). She also documented the progress of our community art projects. And this week she made us a little video combining all these elements. Check it out!

So … we’re hoping that by the end of today all the main bits and bobs (including the book library) are in their permanent place. Wouldn’t that be exciting!?! And then … after the holidays we’re going to pay some attention to the front yard.

Did you know that this week is refugee week? At ACC we have a long-standing commitment to supporting refugees that seek asylum in Australia.

We support refugees that have arrived more recently by being a collection point for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre food relief effort.

So, anyone can drop off non-perishable food at any time here at ACC - in the roller shed in our back garden. And perishable food can be delivered on Thursday mornings between 10am-12pm directly to Andy who then drives everything over to Footscray.

We accept multiple donations each week from both groups and individuals, and estimate that over $20,000 of goods are collected for ASRC through ACC alone each year - which is a wonderful commitment by our community to helping out people experiencing immensely difficult times.

It is just so heartening to see so many people demonstrating empathy, care and kindness through the action of donating.

Usually the food and other grocery items we collect go into the ASRC ‘supermarket’ but in Corona times ASRC (like other food relief organisations) has been putting together packs for delivery.

As we have already mentioned, ACC has been delivering meals to over 30 families during lockdown, utlising the broader food relief program led by the Darebin Neighbourhood House Network.

As things slowly open up and people can get themselves out and about, our weekly deliveries are dropping off. We’re expecting that this week will be our last run.

For those with an ongoing need for precooked meals or groceries, we are hooking them in to long running, well established existing food relief and broader support services in our community such as DIVRS and Your Community Health.

At ACC, we’ll be looking to resume food related activities in term 3 and 4. But we’re sorry to say that it looks like our community lunches will be on hold for a while.

Instead, we’ll be exploring some other models - such as morning tea out on the corner (weather permitting) - at least until social distancing rules are relaxed.

We’re currently working on a new program for next semester and we’ll be confirming all the details in the coming week or two.

Food delivery in action.

Limes from next door, tamarillos from mum, feijoas from Jenny

Every year I forgive my next door neighbour John (Giovanni) his prolific spreading and digging of blood and bone (surely one of the most unneighbourly of products on earth) when he drops off bags of mandarins and oranges that he has grown in his garden.

This time at home has been a boon for neighbourhood fruit and the sharing of such. Have you also experienced this phenomenon?

I’ve eaten feijoas from my mother-in-law and from the community basket in Yarralea Street in Alphington.

I have had lemons from up the street, limes from my other next door neighbours, tamarillos from my mum (also made into chutney by my friend Ali - and she gave us a jar).

The other day I collected a bag of crispy persimmons from the community box out the front of a house in Howitt Street in Northcote.

I even picked a fig from that tree behind the houses, near Mr Wednesday, when I was walking to work one day.

Good fruit things. Happy neighbourhood days.

Mandarins from John, persimmons from Howitt Street