The Used Furniture shop at 51 Wyrallah Road has today taken on a new role as Lismore’s food distribution centre.

Anyone can now come and pick up food and other essential supplies from this community hub between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Saturday.

It joins the Stockpot Kitchen, The Pie Cart and the Sikh's free curry in the CBD as food places that have sprung up to meet the needs of Lismore's hungry post-flood population.

With no supermarkets in town and limited supplies at shops in Goonellabah and Alstonville, the large warehouse is now filled with donated non-perishable food, cleaning supplies, water, medicine, personal hygiene products, animal food, baby supplies – and more.

Owner of Summit Fitness Matt George has relocated the food distribution centre from his fitness centre in Goonellabah - to a more accessible location in the heart of Lismore.

“We wanted to centralise efforts because we realised many people do not have cars and fuel and we were too far away from the action,” Matt said.

“We wanted to solve some problems by getting as close to the CBD as possible and making it as accessible to the Lismore basin as possible for all flood-affected people.”

The warehouse is still waiting to get electricity, but they are expecting it soon.

Matt said the Sikh community is coming to coordinate the running of the centre with the help of an army of local volunteers.

“We’ve had people break down in tears as they walk in through the door and say they are overwhelmed by the generosity of people so that they can come and get the basic things they need from water to nappy products and baby formula.”

Matt said as soon as the flood happened, he turned his fitness centre into a temporary evacuation centre and distributed donated clothes and food. But as the donations from north and south came flooding in, it grew bigger and bigger.

Then Goonellabah Workers Club donated a function room which was filled with donations in six hours - and Rotorwing helicopters filled a hanger full too.

Furniture warehouse and help

Used Furniture warehouse owner Karen said she hoped to salvage a few small pieces of her business, but was happy to open up her warehouse to help the community.

She said had lost $35,000 worth of furniture in the flood, where the water rose to more than halfway up the walls of the warehouse.

In order for the warehouse to open its loading docks for the food so quickly, Karen’s friend in the skip bin business organized a team of volunteers to remove all of the flooded goods away from the front of the building - well before the army started to pitch in and help.

Storage for larger items needed

At the warehouse today were Zelda and Jessie from Barron in NSW. They have been coordinating donations of larger items of furniture for Lismore - such as fridges and barbeques.

“We got flooded in Barron and helped people there, then realized other places were flooded too,” Zelda said.

“So we came here and got support from people in major cities - who are raising money behind the scenes to get the bigger things we need up here.

“Once people are clean and safe, then they need bedding, mattresses, furniture and fridges and ways to cook food.

“We have been approaching Bunnings to get discounted barbeques, generators, fans, dehumidifiers. We also got lots of gas canister refills.

“With no shops to buy these things from, this will help everyone to get back on their feet again.”

Now Zelda is looking for empty places in Lismore to store larger things – so please get in contact with the food distribution centre if you can help.

A larger distribution centre is also being established in Lismore for larger donated items including furniture – and the Lismore App will keep you posted on when it will be open.

Other food places in town

The Wyrallah Road distribution centre is just one of the places that food can be found in Lismore.

The Stockpot Kitchen on Molesworth Street (near the Transit Centre) has been distributing cooked food to people from 10am to 3pm each day.

Owners of the Stockpot Kitchen, Graham and Jen started cooking food as soon as the place was cleared out after the flood.

“We got a pile of sausages and started cooking,” Graham said.

“Everyone was in town working hard clearing buildings and not eating.

"Then others started helping me and we had salads and bread too.”

In the centre of town, the Sikh Indians have also been cooking up curries and distributing them to people in the CBD.

The Pie Cart has relocated to Dalley Street

So, don't go hungry - and don't worry about not getting what you need at the supermarkets in neighbouring towns, because supplies are finally rolling in to the people of Lismore.

There's also some food being given away on the corner of Dawson and James Street in Girards Hill.

Whether donations are on a large scale like Matt George has organised, or a small one like above, you cannot help but have faith in our immediate community and those that surround us up to the border and beyond.

The overwhelming generosity of people is enough to bring a tear to your eye even for the hardest of hearts.