Food Care to stay open despite fire damage

Food Care Orange will operate tomorrow, (Tuesday) despite the Glenroi Community Centre being damaged by fire over the weekend.

Orange City Council's Services Committee Chair Ron Gander called on the community to work with the local police, the charitable organisations which operate within the centre and council, to keep the building open and free from vandalism.

The Garema Road building was moments away from being destroyed by fire, allegedly deliberately lit, on Friday night before NSW Fire and Rescue was able to douse the flames.

"It's such a shame to see this kind of thing happen to such an important community facility," he said.

"We're relying on the local community, a lot of whom use the fantastic services which operate out of the building, to be the eyes and ears of council and the police to ensure this kind of vandalism doesn't happen again."

Food Care Orange help at least 100 families a week access discounted and free groceries.

Volunteer coordinator Anne Hopwood said the service would remain open, albeit in a diminished capacity.

"It was shock and disappointment it has happened and to be met with such a mess... wondering how much we've lost," she said.

"We've had about a dozen volunteers working here from 9.30 in the morning ... having to take everything off the shelves.

"We are going ahead tomorrow so we do want to let all our customers to know that we will be open."

Mrs Hopwood said the shop would open but the team was unable to provide the usual refreshments of tea and coffee, which gave customers and opportunity to socialise, make friends within the neighbourhood and get in touch with service providers.

She said the group thought about closing the shop but decided they could open with what they had and do their best.

"It's all due to an amazing band of volunteers who just said yes let's do it," Mrs Hopwood said.

Several other groups use the facility regularly such as MERGE - a council operated youth program, Alcoholics Anonymous and the Glenroi Community Group. It is hoped all users of the facility will be able to continue operating, but without the use of the large meeting room, now home to all of the Food Care products.

Builders are assessing the damage in the coming days to determine when it can be fixed.

DISAPPOINTED: Cr Ron Gander with the food , which could be saved from the fire at the Glenroi Community Centre.