A Queenstown charity that’s been “making do” with shipping containers, refrigeration units and off-site storage for the past 15 years is a step closer to a purpose-built facility at its Arrowtown base.

Baskets of Blessing, which provides gift baskets, frozen meals and food boxes to people facing grief, illness, trauma or financial hardship, has been given $320,000 by the Central Lakes Trust towards a new operations and distribution centre — it’s also in the running to receive this year’s $100,000 Impact100 grant, being decided at a gala dinner in Arthurs Point tonight.

The charity’s operations manager, Lee Nicolson, says it’ll bring everything under one roof, making its work safer and easier while freeing up volunteers to spend more time helping people.

It’ll be built at its existing base at St John’s Presbyterian Church, on the corner of Berkshire and Durham Sts.

It’ll have insulated food storage facilities, covered sorting and packing areas, volunteer amenities and loading zones.

“We’re seeing more crisis situations among people in our community who’ve traditionally been more stable, and this centre will give us the capacity and confidence to meet that growing need,” Nicolson says.

The Central Lakes Trust approved $1,916,152 in grants at its board meeting last month.

Among the other recipients were the Whakatipu’s eight primary schools for learning support programmes, Bhartiya Samaj Queenstown for this Saturday’s Diwali celebration, the Graeme Dingle Foundation for a three-year programme at Wakatipu High School, Remarkable Theatre for last month’s Home, I’m Darling production, the Routeburn Dart Wildlife Trust for operational funding, and the Lake County A&P Society for this January’s Lake Hayes A&P Show.

— GUY WILLIAMS