Did you know that this week is refugee week? At ACC we have a long-standing commitment to supporting refugees that seek asylum in Australia.

We support refugees that have arrived more recently by being a collection point for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre food relief effort.

So, anyone can drop off non-perishable food at any time here at ACC - in the roller shed in our back garden. And perishable food can be delivered on Thursday mornings between 10am-12pm directly to Andy who then drives everything over to Footscray.

We accept multiple donations each week from both groups and individuals, and estimate that over $20,000 of goods are collected for ASRC through ACC alone each year - which is a wonderful commitment by our community to helping out people experiencing immensely difficult times.

It is just so heartening to see so many people demonstrating empathy, care and kindness through the action of donating.

Usually the food and other grocery items we collect go into the ASRC ‘supermarket’ but in Corona times ASRC (like other food relief organisations) has been putting together packs for delivery.

Limes from next door, tamarillos from mum, feijoas from Jenny

Every year I forgive my next door neighbour John (Giovanni) his prolific spreading and digging of blood and bone (surely one of the most unneighbourly of products on earth) when he drops off bags of mandarins and oranges that he has grown in his garden.

This time at home has been a boon for neighbourhood fruit and the sharing of such. Have you also experienced this phenomenon?

I’ve eaten feijoas from my mother-in-law and from the community basket in Yarralea Street in Alphington.

I have had lemons from up the street, limes from my other next door neighbours, tamarillos from my mum (also made into chutney by my friend Ali - and she gave us a jar).

The other day I collected a bag of crispy persimmons from the community box out the front of a house in Howitt Street in Northcote.

I even picked a fig from that tree behind the houses, near Mr Wednesday, when I was walking to work one day.

Good fruit things. Happy neighbourhood days.

Mandarins from John, persimmons from Howitt Street

On the Wingrove Street milk bar window!

Our latest letter starting ‘Dear neighbour …’ is out.

This time it is on the milk bar window. And it is from a politician … if you are one of the 40 lucky folk to get one you’ll know who … because it is signed.

And, while you are collecting your letter, have you met Juliette? She’s the new milk bar owner and a long-time local. Her eldest and my eldest started preps together at FPS way back in the day. And now they’re in year 10! Time flies …

Do say hello … and buy some milk and eggs … she’s ace!

This week we started to install our stories from isolation sculptures. Don’t they look gorgeous grouped together in front of our new ramp!

Haha … it looks like I’ve been doing all the work in this pic. Actually Lee has been doing most of it! Thanks for taking the photo Mish.

We’re loving getting feedback from you on our posts and weekly news.

Following our post about good TV shows to watch, we’ve had some suggestions, including this quick note.

It was good to see your TV suggestions. We've enjoyed The Stranger (British made mystery, thriller) and The English Game (drama based on the early days of the English Football Association which is a heartwarming story of two key players from Old Etonians and a team from a northern mill town). Both on Netflix.

If you too would like to chip in and share anything … we’d love to hear from you! Just email us.