Price increase

Starting on 4th September, the minimum spend for clients will be raised from $10 per week to $15 per week. This increase will allow clients to spend 30 points in the pantry area before proceeding to all of the free items.

Read on or download PDF versions of this information: English version – Chinese version

Why is there going to be an increase?

In the last few months there have been increases in our transport costs collecting food, our rent for the hall, and the cost of our insurances.

The bulk of our Fruit and Vegetables was previously received for free, however we are now being charged for this also as our suppliers costs are also increasing.

We continue to grow each week and to meet this need we are having to buy more produce than ever before.

Why not just raise the ‘point’ prices for items instead and keep the $10 minimum?

Around 50% of our clients spend only the minimum each week, however they receive the same amount of free items, in particular Fruit and Vegetables, as those who spend more.

If we were to raise prices it would mean that every person would afford fewer items, and this would unfairly penalise those who spend more and who need more for their families. By raising the minimum it ensures that everyone is making a fairer contribution to the running costs of Hornsby Connect.

I feel I may not find enough items each week to spend my 30 points, what should I do?

We will continue to try and offer as wide a range as possible of items that are most in need. If you feel you are unable to find enough items to meet the minimum points spend, you may decide to not use all of your allocated points, keeping in mind you will still receive a lot of free items worth considerably more than $15.

You may also decide to shop once a fortnight instead of weekly.

I am not sure I can afford the increase to $15.

Unfortunately running Hornsby Connect costs a lot of money. Although all of our staff are volunteers, we have a lot of bills to pay each month. If we do not raise the minimum spend it could jeopardise the future of Hornsby Connect.
We understand that increasing by $5 is a lot, but we believe that buy purchasing more from Hornsby Connect you will save money by having to shop less elsewhere.

If you feel you will struggle to meet the new minimum we recommend you speak to one of the agencies onsite for advice. Our registration team will be able to point them out to you or pass you their contact details.

I have a $10 voucher from an agency, what should I do?

New clients arriving with a $10 voucher will be allowed to spend $10 as the minimum spend on their first visit. The $15 minimum spend will then apply to any further visits.

If you have previously used our services and have a $10 voucher this can be contributed towards the $15 minimum spend, but the balance must also be paid.

We hope you understand the reasoning for this decision, and thank you for your understanding.If
you have any further questions please speak to a volunteer at the registration desk.

THANK YOU