By Cam Lucadou-Wells
CHARITY meals-provider Gina Poulos has received a “heart-breaking” blow ahead of Christmas.
Her Theodora House vehicle full of food parcels, cookbooks and her glasses was stolen from her Langwarrin home driveway on Halloween, 1 November.
The 2007 Ford Falcon was her and husband Peter’s only car.
“It was obvious we were a charity. The car had our Theodora House signs on it,” Ms Poulos said.
“It breaks my heart.”
Several times a week, Ms Poulos – travelling in a hire car – continues to deliver and serve her home-cooked hot soups and roast dinners at Wilson Street or Dan Murphy’s car park, Berwick.
Each week she provides 200 food parcels and 900 meals, while looking for another car.
“It’s very disappointing that you help so many people here in Berwick, Hallam and Narre Warren and this happens.
“But for every person that’s bad, there’s 20 who are good.”
Ms Poulos said the car keys had been stolen three weeks earlier from her kitchen table.
It’s the second time one of her cars were stolen. In 2010, she didn’t have time to insure her $22,000 van before it was nicked.
Her charity started 51 years ago just after donating left-over food from her 21st birthday party, but her family had always been “givers”, she said.
“It was easy for us to give, to help someone in need.”
Ms Poulos said there’s plenty of poverty in the Berwick area, including people who are mentally ill.
“Once they pay for the rent, medication, cigarettes and beer, they have nothing left.
“They can’t help themselves. It’s a wonderful feeling to help them – they feel really important and they deserve it.
“You talk to them and you love them.
“It’s a privilege.”
