Every day, after Azem Elmaz finishes a full day of trade at his Shepparton restaurant, he loads his ute with prepared meals and hampers to deliver to the community’s homeless and most vulnerable.
Then he returns and loads it again.
And again.
He will do up to five delivery runs each day, taking him up to six hours to complete.
If it’s raining, he must arrange a heavy tarp over each load to avoid spoiling it.
And demand for his aid is increasing.
The founder of Goulburn Valley-based not-for-profit organisation People Supporting People is a familiar face around town for all the right reasons.
As his good friend Kim O’Keeffe says, he’s not a taker; he’s a giver.
But now he needs helps from the community.
His delivery ute has become unreliable; it is limping on its last legs.
Ms O’Keeffe said it took her six months to convince him to agree to volunteers organising a fundraiser to purchase a new delivery vehicle for his vital service.
Last week, that fundraiser was launched at the Shepparton LDV dealership in Shepparton East.
Jumping on board as a major sponsor, the dealership has secured a delivery van with a significant discount.
The van is so spacious that Mr Elmaz will be able to load it full of each day’s deliveries without the need for a waterproof cover in inclement weather, rather than making several trips back and forth to reload.
One of around 10 regular People Supporting People volunteers, Kamal Dhillon, has set up a GoFundMe page for businesses and community members to donate.
He and Ms O’Keeffe said that any amount would help them reach their $50,000 fundraising target.
“Twenty dollars means the same to us as $2000,” Ms O’Keeffe, who has volunteered with the organisation since 2018, said.
“It all goes to the same pool and we are so grateful.”
However, donors of $500 or more can opt to have their details or advertising included on the van.
Ms O’Keeffe said Mr Elmaz was one of a kind.
“He’s the sweetest, deepest, most compassionate person I’ve ever met,” she said.
She said his work didn’t stop at providing meals for the most vulnerable. With the support of his volunteers, he also helps them sort out their Centrelink, health and finances and directs them to support services.
“He’s also been known to close his restaurant for up to two weeks at a time to go and feed firefighters who are fighting bushfires,” Ms O’Keeffe said.
Mr Elmaz greatly impacted community members during COVID-19 when Shepparton had 20,000 people in isolation. He provided 14,000 meals in a month and his organisation rallied the support of 60 locals who used their vehicles to deliver them.
“People who had never needed to ask for help before had to ask during that time,” Ms O’Keeffe said.
She said that some of them now gave back by volunteering and donating to People Supporting People.
Mr Dhillon said it was easy for everyone to be together during the good times, but in hard times it was tough.
“It feels good here (holding his palm to his heart) to do something for someone without being paid,” he said.
In its first 24 hours, the GoFundMe page had received more than $5000 of donations.
You can donate here.
Those who’d rather donate hard cash or via direct debit can do so by contacting state Member for Shepparton Kim O’Keeffe’s office in Wyndham St on 5831 6944.