GCCEC rolls up its sleeves to help local community

GCCEC rolls up its sleeves to help local community

The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC) is providing relief to its community, as the impact of COVID-19 leads to a spike in demand for services.

With its facilities temporarily closed due to legislation that limits gatherings and imposes social distancing to halt the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the GCCEC has formed a community team tasked with leading initiatives to provide much-needed support.

Among these has been the preparation of more than 15,000 meals, distributed to senior citizens and people with disabilities isolated due to COVID-19 restrictions through house deliveries.

The GCEC has also been providing meals for families impacted by the financial effects of the pandemic and in the ‘at risk’ category for isolation, as well as doctors and nurses on the front line at fever clinics and emergency departments through Robina Hospital.

It comes after the Independent Grocers of Australia donated an astonishing five tonnes of food through supply partners to be made into nutritious meals in the GCEC kitchens.

GCCEC general manager Adrienne Readings said: “If there’s a silver lining in the current crisis, it’s seeing the community rally together to support those most affected.

“We are doing everything we can to offer a lending hand – including donating juices, soft drinks and soups to OzHarvest, cooking thousands of meals and encouraging partners to join in our mission.”

Additionally, GCCEC executive chef Garry Kindred and the kitchen team have prepared more than 500 servings of soup for OzHarvest, and hundreds of meals for local agencies, including OurChurch’s charity arm (Love This City), Global Care, St John’s Crisis Centre, and Hillsong CityCare.

Readings said the technology team at the GCEC have also been providing services to local schools by creating temporary studios and recording lessons for online delivery next term.

“Many schools and teachers have little or no experience of recording lessons for online consumption, and we are able to offer supportive and technical capacity to these schools,” she said.

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