The GOTAFE baking team heard Shepparton Foodshare was crumbling under pressure as local supermarkets have less to donate and the number of people in need grows.
So, on Monday GOTAFE baking teachers Steve Pinnuck, Jarrod Taylor and Ross Graham put their tip top skills to good use and got kneading.
“GOTAFE wanted to get into the community spirit and lend a hand,” Mr Pinnuck said.
“We knew we had the facilities and skills to make an essential item like bread.
“When my manager approached me about making a few loaves, I couldn’t say no to such a wonderful opportunity.”
With classes cancelled the teachers couldn’t rely on the help of their students and had to make hundreds of loaves of bread by themselves.
“It took us the entire day,” Mr Pinnuck said.
“I’ve been a baking teacher at GOTAFE for 16 years, so it was actually really great to get back into the kitchen and put my skills to use.”
His skills hadn't gone stale, and the bakers delighted Foodshare with nearly 400 loaves of bread for locals doing it tough.
Shepparton Foodshare operations co-ordinator Grace Grieve said GOTAFE's amazing generosity would help fill hungry tummies across the region.
“As food is a priority for everyone at the moment our local donations from supermarkets are lower than usual as they don’t have as much stock left over,” Ms Grieve said.
“Day to day we don’t know what products we will be able to give out.
“So today being able to give out fresh white bread was fantastic.”
Under the social distancing regulations, Foodshare can only have 10 volunteers working at a time, which has led to the team working around the clock five-days-a-week creating food parcels for their agencies.
“We have completely run dry of cereal, coffee and spread,” Ms Grieve said.
“The supermarkets and the wider community are helping us as much as possible.”
The Wangaratta GOTAFE team is helping Foodshare as well, whipping up 500 serves of vegetable soup yesterday.
If you would like to help Foodshare, there are donation bins for the public to drop non-perishable food into at Archer St Woolworths, Finer Fruits, Brad's Meats, Familycare pharmacy and GV Meats.
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