It might be hard to believe, but even in a city as economically privileged as Orange, there are many residents who are sleeping rough and skipping meals.
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Bev Rankin is one person who understands all too well the daily struggle many of our fellow residents face when it comes to having access to secure housing and weekly groceries.
Last Saturday night alone, she along with other volunteers at Orange's Uniting Church served a staggering 191 hot meals - a service she and her team have been providing to the community since early last year when COVID-19 exacerbated the city's housing crisis.
"A lot of those people aren't homeless. They're just doing it tough," Mrs Rankin explained.
"There's a lot of homelessness that is hidden [in Orange] because people are couch-surfing, sleeping on someone's floor, sleeping in their car [and] things like that."
"A lot of other people are at risk of homelessness," Mrs Rankin added.
"Even though we have a prosperous city, affordable housing is really hard to come by.
"So anybody who is reliant on Centrelink or a low income is going to find it really hard to be able to find a house that is affordable because the most they can probably afford to pay is about $200 - $250 a week."
On January 26, Mrs Rankin's tireless work and advocacy was recognised, with her taking out the award for Orange's Citizen of the Year - a honour which left her feeling "humbled" but also a "bit embarrassed".
"So many other people contribute [to the work I do]," she explained, saying that none of it would have been possible without the team who support her and dedicate their time to their collective cause.
In addition to her work for those impacted by economic hardship in the community, for the past 20 years Mrs Rankin has also been a foster carer to children.
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