Only six months since the theft of a large amount of food from the Cootamundra Community Kitchen the shelves and freezers are fuller than they've ever been, and the free Wednesday night meals are in full swing.
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Indeed the kitchen - still known by many as the soup kitchen - hasn't missed a beat since the store room at the rear of the Baptist Church Hall in Thompson Street was broken into in February.
It's turned out to be a blessing in disguise because many more people in Cootamundra are aware of the kitchen's existence, and the support has been massive.
"The community have been unbelievably supportive," says organiser Kate Lonergan, who was one of the first people to staff the kitchen after it was started by the Baptist Church (now no longer operating) ten years ago.
"The Ex-Services Club was quick to help, with a raffle and a food drive which resulted in trolleys of food being donated - and the Woolworths staff started a drive and got four or five trolleys and also took up a collection which raised a lot of money.
"The Club's bingo night and raffle raised something like $1300, the Lions Club donated $500, Vinnys donated money, so did Havey World Travel and a local electrician donated $1000 - the support came from everywhere and I apologise in advance if I've left people or groups out.
"Lots of people donated meat - chickens, pork and one person not from here donated lots of rissoles and we've just had a donation of pumpkins.
"The Outback Bakery donates bread every Wednesday and my husband Don collects unwanted produce from Woolworths five days a week, both of which are mainstays."
The support has been a great morale boost for people working in the kitchen, including those who take turns to make desserts for up to 60 people in their homes and bring them in on Wednesdays.
Mrs Lonergan said she spoke at the Probus Club during the year which resulted in a generous gift.
"One of the questions they asked me was how we did the washing up - I said by hand.
"So four of them got together and bought an industrial-sized dishwasher."
Mrs Lonergan said the number of people sitting down for a meal on Wednesdays has steadily grown, now reaching around 60 - and it regularly includes one table of teenagers who are finding going tough and can manage better financially with the benefit of a free meal once a week.
"We also welcome some people who are comfortable but enjoy coming for the company.
"We notice some things that are pretty sad.
"You think it doesn't happen here, but it does.
Mrs Lonergan predicts the kitchen will become even more needed, as society changes and unemployment grows.
"When it started there were only four or five people coming in for meals - so it's grown to more than ten times that number now.
"As I said, we're very grateful for the community's support."
