The Alpine Uniting Church and Jindabyne Op Shop have officially launched their seasonal Monday soup and dessert nights, experiencing an unprecedented level of demand as the winter season begins with a slow start for the local snow industry.

On Monday 15 June the op shop community hall opened its doors to provide a free warm meal and support to seasonal workers and residents, many of who are facing financial uncertainty due to delayed employment start dates.

The first evening of the program saw more than 100 people arrive at the hall, a turnout that caught kitchen volunteers by surprise.

Unlike previous years, where attendance typically builds gradually throughout the evening, a queue had already formed by opening time at 5pm.

Jindabyne Op Shop management committee member, Don Hayman, said the immediate surge in demand put volunteers into full throttle as they worked to accommodate the influx of people.

“The high attendance meant that the initial supply of 35 litres of vegetable soup, provided by the Adventist Alpine Village, was used within the first 30 minutes of the soup and dessert night,” Mr Hayman said.

“The dedicated volunteers quickly pivoted, cooking additional batches on-site to ensure that every person who came through the doors was served a hot meal.

“The current economic climate and the weather-dependent nature of local employment have created a pressing need for such initiatives.

“We weren’t expecting that demand so early on in the season, our seasonal staff just need to be supported right now, so we are happy to do that for them.”

The strain on seasonal workers is particularly evident at the local foodbank, as op shop volunteers see their foodbank pantry empty quicker than usual this time of year.

“We had purchased $1000 worth of food supplies recently to restock the facility before opening weekend, but after the Monday night surge those supplies were hit hard by people seeking essential items,” Mr Hayman said.

“Many seasonal workers share feedback with our volunteers saying that their official start dates at the resorts continue to be pushed back, leaving them in a precarious position as they wait for the snow season to hit its stride.”

Local, Rachelle Edwards, was present on Monday night to distribute blankets to those in need made by attendees at her Snowy Stitches Club meet-ups, she is also hosting the events at the church hall starting this week.

Op shop volunteers thanked owner of Snowy Mill Jindabyne, Russell Brown, for supplying the evening’s sourdough bread, while the Adventist Alpine Village’s CEO, Nic Coulet, and chef, Terry, provided the 35 to 40 litres of vegetable soup.

Further support came from the local Woolworths donating fresh fruit and Alpine Emporium contributing vegetables for the meal.

The winter Monday soup and dessert nights is scheduled to run every Monday throughout the season from 5pm to 6.30pm and all are welcome to come along have a hot meal and enjoy good conversation. Visit the op shop facebook page for more information.