The Sapphire Community Pantry is raising a toast after being the recipients of a generous donation this week.
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Dan Murphy's Bega has gifted $5000 worth of vouchers that can be used across retailers and fuel suppliers in support of the pantry's mission to make sure people in the Bega Valley have access to affordable food and essentials.
Dan Murphy's was allocated monies from its last financial year to give to a worthy local cause.
Mark Hudson from the retailer said he and his team had been brainstorming charities in the area that would benefit from the generous donation and it took around five months before making the decision.
"We've spent a lot of time thinking about the best place for the money, and the challenge we had was after the fire and then COVID, you've got all these seriously challenging events."
They came across the pantry after reading an article written by the Bega District News and hearing pantry president Christine Welsh speak on the radio about its home delivery service for people who were in lockdown due to a positive case of COVID and unable to access groceries or essentials.
After seeing some of the amazing work the pantry does for the community, the decision about the recipient of the vouchers was made much easier.
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"We thought this was amazing, it was a non-for-profit, full of volunteers, people using their own cars to get out and reach out to people in remote areas like Bombala and using their own money, time, fuel to do it," said Mr Hudson.
"So it would be absolutely our pleasure to give the $5000. I was asked to split it and I thought no, these guys are the most worthy cause, if only every town had something like this the world would be a better place.
"Usually it's hard for Dan Murphy's to help out because we can't really be giving out alcohol, but these are unique $50 WISH gift cards."
The gift cards have no expiry date and can be used at Woolworths, BIG W, BWS, Dan Murphy's and participating EG and Caltex Woolworths fuel sites.
Ms Welsh said the vouchers will be used by pantry volunteers to pay for fuel or other items they may need in the course of their work supporting the community.
"We've got a volunteer who is in today and is going to do a delivery to Bemboka to a family that is locked down and she's on a pension and really quite poor, so we'll give her one of these so she can buy fuel or whatever she needs and then we'll give them to the other volunteers who are doing the same."
She also said the vouchers will be used to buy goods and food for the pantry.
They will also be used to purchase some high protein foods such as minced meat or chicken that can be added into the pantry's frozen meals or given to families in need to help them through the week.
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With some people stuck in isolation due to contracting COVID or being a close contact, they have been unable to go into stores and have been left without enough food to cover their families for the week.
The pantry has been giving out some free hampers to people without the means or skills to do a full online order.
Mr Hudson said that due to the current climate of supermarket shelves being almost stripped bare, the disadvantaged would be even worse off in regards to their access to food.
"Our hope would be that given the current climate this would really help."
Ms Welsh said, "this will really help towards filling the baskets of people who are disadvantaged."