When the WA Police Blue Light Foundation reached out to Karnet to help restock the Resource Centre’s food bank last year, the farm’s prisoners and staff answered the call with hundreds of high-quality precooked meals.
Karnet has now followed through with half a tonne of ready-made nutritious meals produced at the farm – and BCRC Manager Loren Bryant said the special delivery came just in time.
“Living regionally, your prices are more expensive,” she said. “The pantry was getting quite low, and we had people asking for assistance and were struggling to help them – families in need, the elderly, everyone is using it.”
Corrections Minister Paul Papalia said the donation is one of many examples of how prisons can support communities throughout Western Australia.
“Prisoners at Karnet are not just serving meals, they’re serving the community,” he said. “This is a reminder our prisons do more than just lock people up, there’s a rehabilitation effort, they train people, provide them with experience and connect them back to community.”
Local police said helping those doing it tough fosters a variety of positive outcomes.
“It gives the community more trust in us because they can see we’re not just there to enforce law, we’re also there to help,” Constable Seargent Debbie Jordan said. “It also helps stop a lot of petty crime, such as shoplifting, when people can provide for their families.”
Vocational Support Officer (VSO) and Chef Instructor Paul said knowing the protein-based meals containing chicken, pork, beef and lamb will help struggling families in turn sustains the prisoners who prepare them.
“Most of them are quite passionate when something like this comes along and want to get involved,” he said. “They feel like they’re giving something back.”
“Being able to give back, it’s a privilege,” one prisoner added. “It’s a good feeling, helping out.”
Thanks to the generous portions provided, the benefits will reach beyond Boddington as well.
“We have neighbouring communities that ask us for assistance so having this means we’re able to help them as well,” Ms Bryant said. “It’s been a fantastic service to the community.”
Print this page
