Foodbank Victoria Annual Report 2021-2022

A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

WAS THE YEAR

LEARNED HOW IMPORTANT

Never in our history have we faced so many threats to our ability to provide food.

Charity partners and schools were locked down for extended periods and then grounded by critical volunteer shortages. Fragile supply chains slowed or simply stopped moving. Rising costs pushed thousands of families into food relief for the first time in their lives. The level of demand was distressing.

We drew on our strength, our ideas, and the power of community. Finding ways with your help to support Victorians through every crisis that came our way. Delivering over half a million kilos of food directly into the heart of our communities when they couldn’t get to us.

Being able to respond quickly and drive distribution up by almost 21% meant we could meet the growth in demand. We spent almost $5 million on food – a record amount. Putting 45% more kilos of fresh food than last year onto the tables of people in need across the state. The kind of healthy food we want every Victorian to eat and enjoy!

Despite the challenges, our School Breakfast Clubs program reached a major milestone.

Twenty million meals delivered by over 1,000 state schools across Victoria since the program began six years ago. Cooking Classes migrated online during lockdowns, giving families and teachers a way to stay connected and supported through food.

We created a world first, turning two eighteen-metre airport buses generously donated by Kinetic into mobile supermarkets. Taking our buses out to charity partners across metropolitan Melbourne weekly stocked with culturally appropriate food – fruit and vegetables, chilled products, and pantry essentials.

We expanded Farms to Families markets to serve many more regional Victorians, and our pop-up supermarket assisting international students remained open until Christmas. We made sure no-one was forgotten.

Our volunteers were extraordinary this year, giving more than 19,700 hours of their time to help get millions of kilos of food out with care and efficiency. Looking after not just those we were feeding, but also each other.

Everything we’ve achieved would not have been possible without our amazing and talented staff. We committed to providing them with the best possible training and learning opportunities, emotional and psychological support, and people-friendly ICT systems. If we’re going to continue to be successful in making sure our communities are thriving, then Foodbank must thrive…and this year, more than any other, has proved that we do!

Dave McNamara CEO, Foodbank Victoria

THIS

WE

IT WAS TO MAKE SURE WE HAD THE RIGHT FOOD FOR VICTORIANS WHEN THEY NEEDED IT, SO THEY COULD THRIVE.

WHERE WE SAW GAPS, WE USED OUR SCALE AND SIZE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. LISTENING TO THE VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND BUILDING SOLUTIONS IN COLLABORATION WITH THEM.

DAVE MCNAMARA CEO FOODBANK VICTORIA

FOOD OUR IMPACT

HERE’S WHAT GOES INTO HELPING PUT FOOD ON TABLES EACH YEAR!

PEOPLE

VOLUNTEERS: 1,257

VOLUNTEER HOURS: 19,794

STAFF: 97

+ +

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

CHARITIES: 476

SCHOOLS: 1000+

SUPPORTERS

GENEROUS INDIVIDUALS

FOOD DONORS

TRUSTS AND FOUNDATIONS

FINANCIAL SUPPORTERS AND PARTNERS

VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT

IMPACT =

FOOD OUT: 12.1 MILLION KGS (OF FOOD AND GROCERIES) 22 MILLION MEALS

VICTORIANS

2021-22 raised the bar once again for Australia’s food relief sector. Demand for support and supplies continued to rise as communities grappled with the long-lasting impact of COVID-19, floods, and the most severe cost of living crisis in over two decades.

Our partners, supporters, and friends across the food and grocery sector rose to the needs of our community, helping us distribute more than 12.1 million kilograms of food, personal care, and household items – the equivalent of putting 22 million meals on tables for those in need.

We continued to work with farmers, growers, and wholesalers in support of our vision of healthy food for all - sourcing and distributing more than 3 million kilograms of fresh produce, 45% more than last year.

Our own distribution channels were busier than ever. The international student supermarket, new mobile community food programs and emergency hamper distribution through our pop-up Drive Thru and Red Cross relief channels delivered over 1.9 million kilograms of food and groceries directly into vulnerable communities. The outbreak of COVID-19 in the Goulburn Valley and Shepparton region meant that food retailers and local businesses had to shut their doors, leading to critical food shortages in Shepparton.

We had to quickly mobilise food to feed an entire rural city. Nationally, we continued to support our friends interstate by distributing 1.2 million kilograms to Foodbanks in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory. Through these initiatives and the tireless work of our team and partners, we were able to distribute 21% more food and groceries than the previous year.

2021-22 FOOD OUT:

12.1 MILLION

KILOS OF FOOD + GROCERIES = 22M MEALS

FOOD IN, FOOD OUT

WHEN

NEEDED US, WE RESPONDED, INCREASING OUR DISTRIBUTION BY 21%.

PRODUCT TYPES

OUR FOOD DONORS

ONCE AGAIN, OUR GENEROUS FOOD AND GROCERY DONORS CAME TO THE RESCUE OF COMMUNITIES IN CRISIS.

Sourcing fresh, healthy food for vulnerable people across Victoria is what we do - day in, day out. While there are always challenges and setbacks given the unpredictable nature of food production, this was a year like no other.

Ensuring continuous supply of fresh produce at the scale required to meet demand stretched not only our teams, but those we rely on to help feed Victorians. Fortunately, the relationships we’ve forged with empathetic organisations across the supply chain who help us source, rescue and redistribute food proved to be remarkably resilient.

Despite unprecedented floods, labour shortages and petrol prices this year, our generous farmers and growers, wholesalers and food manufacturers kept our warehouse shelves and fridges stocked with quality food. Thanks to them, we could keep feeding communities in crisis across the state and throughout the year.

In total, our 368 local donors provided 4.4 million kilos of fresh, frozen, and staple foods as well as household products and personal care items – an increase of 14.4% on the year before.

MEET ONE OF OUR FOOD DONORS: HARVEST MOON

Werribee based food producer Harvest Moon supplies over 90,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetables to supermarkets in Australia and internationally. When their pumpkins become discoloured, or celery is damaged, these perfectly edible vegetables can’t be sold through retailers.

Nathan and the Harvest Moon team work with Foodbank to ensure that fresh produce like this makes its way directly to our warehouse. While considered not quite right for supermarkets, these ‘ugly’ fresh foods are packed with nutrition and we’re proud to distribute food of this quality to people in need.

We also worked with 85 national donors who contributed 7.3 million kilos to help us put food on tables.

While community-led food drives were paused during lockdowns, we were grateful to receive an additional 73,376 kilograms of donated food and groceries from schools and community groups. An incredible 152% more than last year!

OUR 368 LOCAL DONORS PROVIDED 4.4 MILLION KILOS OF FRESH, FROZEN, AND STAPLE FOODS AS WELL AS HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS AND PERSONAL CARE ITEMS...

COVID-19 RESPONSE: DRIVE THRU

AS VICTORIANS LOCKED DOWN AGAIN, WE RAMPED UP SUPPORT – AS WE’VE ALWAYS DONE.

It’s very much part of the fabric of Foodbank that when a crisis hits, we roll up our sleeves and do the work. COVID-19 Lockdown 6, which saw Victorians restricted to their homes from August 5 through to October 19, was a tipping point for so many people. As they struggled to survive in every sense, we came to their aid with another Drive Thru free hamper service on August 20, 2021 at our Yarraville warehouse.

Based on the inaugural Foodbank Drive Thru held back in June 2021, we knew that opening our doors to the public was the best way to help reduce stress and shame for people seeking food. They could drive through and pick up hampers of fresh fruit and veggies, along with pantry staples - contactless and no questions asked. Families came through who were living in their cars. Knowing we were their only human contact, helped our hard-working teams understand the magnitude of the crisis in our state. We also included pet food when we realised that people were feeding their pets before feeding themselves. Our team created a positive and welcoming vibe with music and friendly faces helping load the food into car boots.

With cars queued for three kilometres down to the Westgate freeway, our service was forced to close early by Victorian police to ensure public safety. But, not before we delivered 70,608 kilos of food for people doing it tough during what would become known as the toughest lockdown of them all.

As the state’s emergency food relief organisation, we continued our partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services and Australian Red Cross to deliver emergency relief hampers to Victorians in isolation with no access to food. Through the 2021/22 financial year we delivered a staggering 1,466,086 kilos of food to families impacted by COVID-19 across the state including Shepparton and the Goulburn Valley where restrictions forced the closure of local food retailers.

WE REALLY ARE A BIG FAMILY AT FOODBANK VICTORIA, AND I’M JUST OVERCOME WITH THE GENEROSITY AND KINDNESS OF OUR STAFF – ROLLING UP THEIR SLEEVES AND PITCHING IN TO ENSURE WE HAVE FOOD READY TO GO OUT THE DOOR WITH A SMILE.

DAVE MCNAMARA CEO FOODBANK VICTORIA

COMMUNITY OUR CHARITY PARTNERS

FROM MOBILE SOUP VANS AND NEIGHBOURHOOD HOUSES TO COMMUNITY HALLS IN REGIONAL TOWNS, OUR LARGE NETWORK OF CHARITY PARTNERS PLAYED A VITAL ROLE FOR FOODBANK VICTORIA THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. DESPITE THE IMPACT OF LOCKDOWNS AND THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS WE WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF OUR PARTNERS AS DEMAND SURGED, DISTRIBUTING A RECORD 7.2 MILLION KILOS OF FOOD AND ESSENTIAL ITEMS.

In many respects, the pandemic hit our charity partners harder this year than last. As we also experienced first-hand at Foodbank Victoria, volunteer numbers for our charity partners were significantly reduced at times by COVID-19 isolation requirements. Charities reported that volunteers were devoting more time to paid work to make ends meet, making it difficult to resume normal operations months after lockdowns ended.

Sharp cost of living rises in the second half of the year combined with the end of JobKeeper payments in March took their toll too and demands for food relief rose by 23% as highlighted in the 2022 Foodbank Hunger Report. Some charities reported a doubling of demand, and a broader demographic seeking food relief on a regular basis.

People with jobs and mortgages were forced to access services, many for the first time, as inflation dramatically affected their ability to pay bills and afford essential food items.

Add supply chain disruptions and weatherrelated shortages of fresh fruit and vegetables into the mix, and the efforts of our tireless charity partners to help us put meals on tables were nothing short of awe-inspiring.

WITH THE HELP OF MORE THAN 476 CHARITY PARTNERS, WE WERE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE THE EQUIVALENT OF 12.9 MILLION MEALS TO VULNERABLE VICTORIANS THIS YEAR.

MEET ONE OF OUR CHARITY PARTNERS

BK 2 BASICS

WORKING ON THE FRONTLINE OF FOOD RELIEF IN THE CITY OF CASEY, BK 2 BASICS SUPPORTS SOME OF MELBOURNE’S MOST DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES WHO WOULD STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE WITHOUT THE HELP OF THIS HARDWORKING FOOD RELIEF CHARITY.

It all started six years ago when founder Kelly and her family began taking blankets and jackets to people experiencing homelessness in Narre Warren. Kelly’s young daughter asked if they could also find a way to help families at her school, and Kelly began making lunches for the students. But her daughter was concerned that if her classmates didn’t have food for lunch, there mustn’t be any food at home. Kelly made the decision to begin distribution of free food directly to local families from her carport. Demand for food grew quickly and soon she was servicing up to two hundred families per week. Then came a generous offer from a supporter to lease a warehouse on her behalf, and Bk 2 Basics was born.

Having expanded over time into two warehouses, Bk 2 Basics is currently feeding around 7,000 people every week with regular deliveries from Foodbank. At the end of each day, when most people would be emotionally and physically exhausted, Kelly and husband Craig head into the city with food to help feed Melbourne’s homeless community in the CBD.

Kelly isn’t someone who wants any recognition for the extraordinary work she does, but we are so grateful to be working with her to support communities in the City of Casey and beyond.

One of Bk2Basics smiling locals.

FOODBANK

OUR PEOPLE VOLUNTEERS ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF FOODBANK.

OUR VOLUNTEERS’ WILLINGNESS TO ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND GET DOWN IN THE FOOD TRENCHES WITH US IS A CONSTANT SOURCE OF INSPIRATION. THEY PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN PUTTING MEALS ON THE TABLE FOR THOSE IN NEED, COLLECTIVELY DONATING MORE THAN 19,700 HOURS LAST YEAR.

In 2021/22 we saw our regular volunteer force of 96 contribute a whopping 13,000 hours - an increase of 112% on the last financial year. From packing hampers in our warehouse for COVID-19 relief, to helping charity partners load up their cars and trucks with vital supplies, they ensured we could meet the escalating demand from Victorians doing it tough. Once COVID-19 restrictions were lifted we welcomed our corporate volunteers back into the Warehouse. We hosted 86 organisations across the year whose hardworking teams donated an impressive 6,725 hours of their time to help pack hampers and supplies for Foodbank.

We are indebted to our flying force of volunteer angels. Their positivity, reliability and dedication ensured the food we sourced got to those in need. The way our volunteers handled the obstacles we’ve faced as an organisation this year, along with the increasing demand for help was heroic.

INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING?

If you’d like to get involved with volunteering, please visit foodbank.org.au/support-us/volunteer-with-us/

THE FEEL-GOOD FACTOR

MEET OUR VOLUNTEER: HUEY

Huey Nguyen has been a Foodbank warehouse volunteer since January 2022.

Most Fridays, you’ll find her along with her ‘partner in crime’, Kee – a 12-year Foodbank volunteering veteran – helping load the delivery vehicles of our charity partners with desperately needed food supplies.

Huey was compelled into the volunteering space by the example of her ‘Uncle’ John (“In Vietnam, we call everyone uncle!” she explains).

“Uncle John was a humanitarian who helped my family settle in Australia in the 1980s when we were refugees from Vietnam. He inspired me because of his life of service throughout the years.”

Huey is also keen to ensure that her uncle’s legacy lives on.

“I have young kids and I want to be a role model to them. I want them to see that volunteering is a way to be kind to others. If we’re able to help, we should do so.”

As someone passionate about reducing food waste, registering to volunteer with Foodbank was an easy choice for Huey.

“I wanted to align myself with a non-profit organisation I could believe in, and I really like what Foodbank does to help people in need, and the focus on sustainability.”

Lending a hand at Foodbank also links Huey with a community of like-minded people.

“We’re all working towards a common goal, which is reducing food waste and helping others, so it gives you the best endorphin boost.”, she enthuses. “It’s such a nice culture.”

VOLUNTEERING AT FOODBANK, YOU WORK WITH SUCH WONDERFUL PEOPLE. WHEN YOU’RE AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE THE SAME IDEOLOGY AS YOU – WHICH IS, THEY JUST WANT TO HELP AND BE KIND TO OTHERS – THEY INSPIRE YOU.

Now living in Melbourne’s bayside area, Huey loves starting conversations with people in her neighbourhood about Foodbank’s work.

“Not only does it inspire me, but I also find that I inspire others,” explains Huey. “I drop the kids at school and kindergarten on Friday with my Foodbank uniform on, and some of the kids think I work on the roads. ‘Oh, are you digging a hole today?’ they’ll ask. It’s good for them to understand what I do at Foodbank. It gets them to think about how they want to use their free time.”

HUEY NGUYEN FOODBANK VOLUNTEER

OUR PEOPLE

OUR FOODBANK FAMILY GREW TO 97 EMPLOYEES WHO GAVE THEIR ALL TO ACHIEVE OUR MISSION OF HEALTHY FOOD FOR ALL, ENCOURAGING AND SUPPORTING EACH OTHER EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

So much work goes into making sure Foodbank can meet the needs of Victorians doing it tough, as well as providing a safe and secure workplace for our employee family. Never have we drawn more upon our values of accountability, empowerment, integrity and respect than this past financial year.

At the end of the 2021/22 year, we had a total of 97 skilled and committed employees working across the Foodbank organisation –

16% more than last year and a testament to our ability to attract the best people in the toughest of recruitment markets.

Demand for our services has never been higher but, as has been the case right throughout the pandemic, our staff, volunteers and food donors have risen to every challenge that came their way this year.

As well as supporting our staff through the complexities of COVID-19, including large scale, weekly mandatory testing, we spent considerable time responding to the growth in demand for our services. Part of this response involved commencing Foodbank’s new four-year strategy, which has invigorated our organisation and teams.

The coming financial year will see Community Food Centres built in Ballarat and Morwell underpinned by large scale recruitment and training programs. Along with many other improvements to how we operate, the introduction of these Community Food Centres has prompted the implementation of a new Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP).

Our new ERP will play a vital role in guiding this new strategic direction, as well as supporting staff management and professional development, recruitment, inductions and staffing in regional Victoria and our Melbourne office located within the Yarraville warehouse.

One of the many highlights of the year was bringing people back into the office. Many of our staff and volunteers are ‘foodies’ at heart, and the work that we do with Foodbank provides us with an important sense of purpose.

The lifting of restrictions meant that we could get back to connecting as a workplace community and supporting each other.

WITH EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING A PRIMARY FOCUS FOR US AGAIN IN 2021/22, WE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE FREE COUNSELLING SESSIONS AND SUPPORT THROUGH ‘LIFEWORKS’. TO ENCOURAGE OUR STAFF TO PRIORITISE THEIR HEALTH, WE OFFERED FULL REIMBURSEMENT ON A WELLBEING EXPERIENCE OF THEIR CHOICE

In reflecting on the 2021/22 year, it’s important to call out the role that our community of regular and corporate volunteers have played in helping us get food out to people as requests for support grow.

We are incredibly proud of the entire Foodbank Victoria team - from those who volunteer, raise funds, source our food, pack supplies, and drive our trucks to those who run our community food programs.

SCHOOL BREAKFAST CLUBS PROGRAM & COOKING CLASSES

OUR SCHOOL BREAKFAST CLUBS PROGRAM SCORES AN A+ FOR 20 MILLION MEALS DELIVERED TO STUDENTS ACROSS VICTORIA!

The School Breakfast Clubs Program, now covering more than one thousand P-12 government and specialist schools right across Victoria, reached a significant milestone this year: 20 million meals served to students since its inception. These life changing meals were delivered through a partnership between the Department of Education and Training, the schools, dedicated teaching staff and Foodbank Victoria - now in its sixth year.

In 2021-22 we saw innovation everywhere, ensuring that kids who needed the support of a healthy breakfast were still able to get their day off to the best possible start during COVID-19. Schools became nimble, rethinking how their School Breakfast Clubs stayed COVID-safe, while holding them in a space where students, teachers, parents, and volunteers (when allowed) felt comfortable and welcome.

Many schools switched from a sit-down style breakfast club to a ‘grab and go’ model, where kids passing through could choose pieces of fruit, a mini milk or fruit cups, and then go outside to eat — observing social-distancing guidelines. Some schools introduced music to create a positive outdoor environment while others found ways to deliver breakfast directly to those families in isolation who relied heavily on the Program.

TACKLING HUNGER IN THE CLASSROOM & BEYOND – 3.1 MILLION MEALS SERVED IN 2021/22!

The School Breakfast Clubs Program delivered 1.7 million kilos of food or the equivalent of 3.1 million meals to support student learning and wellbeing –serving the community way beyond breakfast.

THE SCHOOL BREAKFAST CLUBS PROGRAM PROVIDES MORE THAN JUST NUTRITIOUS FOOD – IT IMPROVES CONCENTRATION, BUILDS SOCIAL SKILLS, AND GIVES KIDS A BETTER CHANCE TO CREATE A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES THROUGH LEARNING.

Lunch and Home Food Pack programs provided additional food relief for students who needed it. This support extended to times when kids may have been at home (school holidays or COVID-19 isolation, for instance) and with the broader school communities as well.

The Program menu had a revamp during 2021/22, adding bread along with an additional snack and lunch menu item which received a big thumbs up from schools.

There was also a focus on adding food that met specific dietary requirements. Based on the feedback from schools, the program menu now includes gluten-free products and lactose-free milk.

As we head into the new financial year, we look forward to the continued evolution of the School Breakfast Clubs Program to meet the demand and the needs of students from all demographics, cultural groups, and schools.

DAVE MCNAMARA CEO FOODBANK VICTORIA

A FOODBANK FIRST INTRODUCING VIRTUAL COOKING CLASSES

During the lockdowns of 2021/22, Foodbank was unable to head into schools and hold face-toface cooking classes, which was initially a challenge for our team, the schools, and their families. The Cooking Class program team rose to the challenge, pivoting to an online delivery model with cooking teachers hosting classes via Microsoft Teams from a bespoke mobile kitchen installed at our warehouse in Yarraville. While there was substantial work involved in migrating to online classes, many of our schools –already under considerable stress from managing online classes and supporting entire student bodies away from the classroom – recognised the importance of maintaining cooking classes for their families.

Despite the challenges, our online learning model was very wellreceived. We were able to engage with families in a meaningful way and provide them with valuable support during an extremely stressful and uncertain time, including the continuation of weekly food hampers.

Lockdowns made a significant dent in our ability to reach our program performance targets, so we hired more staff members and made more resources available to make up for lost ground.

Being forced to switch from conducting the cooking classes in-person to holding them online during COVID-19 provided us with valuable insights. One of these has been adding pictorial versions of all twenty recipes to our resource kits.

Now, not only can kids follow the recipes, but those with low literacy or those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds can feel more confident in taking part in the classes.

Parents attempting to wrangle toddlers and babies during the classes also welcomed the switch to an online model. Feedback from other participants told us that remote learning was a better solution for their learning style or circumstances.

For many, being in their home environment made the learning process far more enjoyable and relaxing; allowing them to get more from the program. We are planning to film our cooking classes to provide an online option for families who can’t attend in person.

There is so much we’ve learned over this financial year. By listening and catering to the needs of the people that we work with, we’ve been inspired to continue making our cooking classes as inclusive, enjoyable, and as much fun as possible.

DESPITE THE CHALLENGES, OUR ONLINE LEARNING MODEL WAS VERY WELL-RECEIVED.

A FRESH PARTNERSHIP

OUR SUPERMARKETS ON A BUS - DELIVERING FRESH, HEALTHY FOOD FOR ALL.

AS PART OF FOODBANK’S COVID-19 RESPONSE, WE PARTNERED WITH KINETIC TO CREATE OUR NEW MOBILE SUPERMARKET BUSES: ‘DOROTHY’, IN RECOGNITION OF LONG-TIME FOODBANK BOARD MEMBER AND CHAIR DOROTHY COOMBE, AND ‘DAVE’ NAMED AFTER OUR CEO, DAVE MCNAMARA.

SINCE ‘DOROTHY’ FIRST HIT THE ROAD IN NOVEMBER 2021, THE BUSES HAVE DISTRIBUTED 79,920 KILOS OF FOOD TO FAMILIES...

The giant articulated buses were donated by Kinetic after being forced out of service by COVID-19 restrictions. Not only did Kinetic generously help cover ongoing costs, but bus manufacturer Volgren jumped on board to help with engineering and fit out costs to make them a fit-for-purpose, mobile food pantry.

Far from simply gutting the buses of a ‘normal’ passenger interior and sending them out on the road, the team at Volgren faced unique challenges in adapting them for Foodbank’s needs.

As well as installing coolers and refrigeration units—and under-floor generators to power them—massive steel reinforcements were added to their chassis to transform them from passenger buses to mobile supermarket pantries, capable of safely holding up to 400kg of food on the shelving. This was no mean feat in the heat of a pandemic, with materials and labour in short supply.

The bus exteriors are also emblazoned with our very own volunteer Mike Adey’s eye-catching ‘Angel’ decals, a warm surprise for families when our Mobile Supermarkets pull up and park in community spaces.

Driven in a voluntary capacity by Kinetic employees, the Mobile Supermarkets are making a difference in the community by enabling us to extend our capabilities in terms of both reach and offering. We craft each trip to reflect the needs of diverse cultural communities across the city. Not only do they look great—they bring real energy and positivity wherever they go.

Since ‘Dorothy’ first hit the road in November 2021, the buses have distributed 79,920 kilos of food to families in some of the most disadvantaged and hard to reach communities across metropolitan Melbourne.

FUNDS POWERING OUR PROGRAMS, FUELLING OUR FUTURE.

A HEARTFELT THANKS TO OUR CORPORATE AND PHILANTHROPY PARTNERS, TRUSTS AND DONORS WHO HAVE GIVEN SO GENEROUSLY TO HELP COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH ANOTHER YEAR OF HARDSHIP:

OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS

L AusNet Services

L Chobani

L Peters Ice Cream

L Port of Melbourne

L AGIG

L Bunnings Group

L Charter Hall

L EnergyAustralia

L ExxonMobil

TRUSTS, FOUNDATIONS AND MAJOR DONORS

L Fenwick Software

L Origin Foundation

L Orora Group

L Quay Eyewear

L Spotlight Foundation

L Vanguard Investments

L Western United Football Club

L Westgate Tunnel Project

L 13cabs

Our sincere gratitude to the following trusts and foundations who generously supported our food and emergency relief operations throughout the 2021/22 financial year:

L Weily Tribe Foundation

L The Cox Family Foundation

L The Johnstone Family Foundation

L The Wood Foundation

L The Stuart Leslie Foundation

L Guthrie Family Charitable Trust

L The Orloff Family Charitable Trust

L Randall Foundation

L Rotary Club of Footscray Community

L Service and House of Friendship Fund Inc.

L Nelson Alexander Charitable Foundation

L Harry Kestin Foundation

L Bagot Gjergja Foundation

L The Greenlight Foundation

L Eucharistic Community Ltd

SPECIAL THANKS TO JOHN AND MARY GRANT, NATHAN AND SUSAN PINSKIER, BETHANY SENN, AND ROBERT AND ROSLYNNE MILNE WHO GAVE GENEROUSLY TO MAKE SURE NO FAMILY WENT WITHOUT FOOD. THANKS ALSO TO PRESSROOM PARTNERS FOR THEIR INVALUABLE SUPPORT.

OUR PHILANTHROPY PARTNERS

MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR FOODBANK TO DO OUR THING.

THE UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF OUR PHILANTHROPY PARTNERS HAS PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN OUR FOOD AND EMERGENCY RELIEF SERVICES ACROSS VICTORIA WITH THE BUSHFIRES, THE PANDEMIC AND, MORE RECENTLY, THE RISING COST OF LIVING CRISIS.

FOODBANK PROGRAMS AND PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORTERS 2021/2022

With the financial backing of these invaluable like-minded organisations, we were able to continue supporting struggling Victorians through our core food relief programs.

FOOD RELIEF/FOOD PURCHASE

With thanks to the State Government and Give2Asia, essential pantry items were bulk purchased and delivered to our charity partners. The multiyear commitment from The Anthony Costa Foundation provided oats to complement these essential items ensuring regular access to healthy food.

MOBILE FOOD PROGRAMS

The generous support of The Collie Foundation and the State Government made it possible to continue supplying fresh fruit and vegetables and essential pantry items to regional Victoria through our Mobile Food Programs. This included the public Drive-Thru held in August 2021 distributing over 4,000 hampers to families in need.

MOBILE SUPERMARKET

Our Mobile Supermarket Buses have played an important role in delivering food directly to the community in 2021/22. Our thanks go to the Gandel Foundation, the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, Sidney Myer Fund, John and Lyn Levy, Bindy and David Koadlow, the Jack & Robert Smorgon Families Foundation, The Kimberley Foundation and the State Government.

FARMS TO FAMILIES MARKETS

With thanks to The William Buckland Foundation, we were able to deliver our Farms to Families Markets to the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland regions.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT POP-UP SHOP

Along with vital support from the Victorian State Government, we continued to support international students unable to return home during the pandemic with our International Student Pop-Ups.

A BIG, BOLD PLAN

Foodbank is committed to supporting more disadvantaged people across Victoria. As part of our big, bold plan, we are constructing two state-of-the-art, purpose-built warehouses in Ballarat and Morwell. These Community Food Centres will provide the critical missing link between Foodbank’s supply of fresh, healthy food and servicing those needing food relief in the regions. Funding has been secured for the land and build but additional financial support is needed for the fit-out and to ensure the Community Food Centres are operational by mid-2023. For more information on this project, please contact us at (03) 9362 8363 or at philanthropy@foodbankvictoria.org.au.

OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS FROM DONATING SPACE AND PACKING FOOD TO FUNDRAISING ON OUR BEHALF, OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN HELPING FEED VULNERABLE PEOPLE.

THE BIGGER THE CHALLENGE, THE MORE WE SEE OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS STEP UP WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT, FUNDRAISING IDEAS, VOLUNTEERS AND ADVOCACY. THIS YEAR, THEIR TEAMS DONATED A RECORD 6,725 HOURS OF THEIR TIME TO CREATE HEALTHY MEALS FOR VICTORIANS IN NEED, AND WE COULDN’T BE MORE GRATEFUL.

AUSNET SERVICES

AusNet Services provides an essential service to the people of Victoria and we are thrilled to be partnering with an organisation that works with us on the frontline and in times of natural disaster. Our new partnership enables AusNet Services the opportunity to give back to the community by supporting Foodbank Victoria fundraising initiatives and events.

PETERS ICE CREAM

Peters Ice Cream is our longest-standing corporate partner and has played an integral role in our food and emergency relief efforts since 2016. Together, we share a common goal of connecting and supporting our community through food. The partnership support provided by Peters is wide and varied including financial support, donation of product, employee fundraising, workplace giving and volunteering. This support equates to more than 1.7 million meals for those in need.

AUSNET IS PROUD TO HAVE COMMENCED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH FOODBANK. THE COMMUNITY CONNECTION AND VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE PARTNERSHIP OFFERS OUR EMPLOYEES, AND THE TRUE VALUE THAT FOODBANK, IN TURN, GIVES TO THOSE WHO NEED IT, IS SOMETHING THAT WE DEEPLY VALUE.

WHEN FOODBANK VICTORIA NEEDED FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO INCREASE THE PROVISION OF HEALTHY FOOD TO THE VICTORIAN COMMUNITY, PETERS WAS THE FIRST TO PUT UP ITS HAND. OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS, THAT SUPPORT HAS NEVER WAVERED. WHETHER IT’S FOOD, FINANCIAL OR VOLUNTEERING SUPPORT, PETERS HAS CONTINUALLY DEMONSTRATED ITS COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING VULNERABLE VICTORIANS.

DAVE MCNAMARA CEO FOODBANK VICTORIA

KAREN WINSBURY AUSNET HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS

PORT OF MELBOURNE

Port of Melbourne has partnered with Foodbank Victoria since late 2018, aligning two key organisations within its supply chain sector that have a focus on building better communities and supporting people in need. Port of Melbourne’s valuable support demonstrates its commitment to social impact including regular teams of staff volunteering in our warehouse at Yarraville throughout the year.

PORT OF MELBOURNE IS PROUD TO PARTNER WITH FOODBANK, AND TO PLAY A SMALL PART IN ASSISTING THOSE IN NEED. WHETHER IT IS THROUGH STORMS, FLOODS, ECONOMIC HARDSHIP OR PERSONAL STRUGGLES, FOODBANK IS A CONSTANT SUPPORT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. IT IS A PRIVILEGE FOR OUR STAFF TO VOLUNTEER – WHETHER IT IS PACKING AT THE WAREHOUSE OR HELPING THE COMMUNITY AT THE MOBILE SUPERMARKETS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SUPPORT FOODBANK BEYOND 2022.

SPOTLIGHT ON OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH CHOBANI CHOBANI, LIKE ITS USA PARENT COMPANY, HAS AN UNWAVERING BELIEF THAT ACCESS TO GOOD FOOD IS A RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE. SINCE PARTNERING WITH FOODBANK OVER TEN YEARS AGO, THE YOGURT MAKER HAS TURNED BELIEF INTO RELIEF, CREATING OVER 1 MILLION MEALS FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY.

“We’re makers of food, so we think we can help make a difference in reducing hunger,” says Lyn Radford, Managing Director of Chobani’s Australian operation. “Hamdi [Ulukaya, Chobani’s founder] is a big supporter of food banks across the USA as well. It’s something the entire organisation is passionate about.”

When the pandemic began to impact Australians, Chobani assessed what was happening in local communities and picked up on a pervading sense of uncertainty around food supply. The team began to manufacture ten pallets of fresh stock every week specifically for Foodbank to help the organisation support its frontline charities. As Lyn explains, “We wanted to reassure Foodbank, that it could rely on our food in that really uncertain time.”

Which led this highly innovative organisation to the idea of a cobranded yogurt.

“We were talking with staff about our support of Foodbank” says Lyn, “and one of our employees said, ‘Why don’t we do a Foodbankspecific batch?’ It was an awesome idea and we launched ‘Fruit for Good’ into supermarkets including Coles and Woolworths and across all our retail partners in February 2022.”

While many organisations throughout the world launch social enterprise products, Chobani identified that most donated only 10 or 20 cents from each sale. “So, we asked ourselves ‘Why can’t we donate 100% of the profits to Foodbank?’“, says Lyn, “and the response was beyond anything we could have imagined.”

When we took the idea to our partners, they said, ‘How can we get on board?’ None of them asked for any kind of credit. It was across the supply chain – from our milk, fruit, and packaging to our retail partners as well. It’s not something I’ve heard of before and I’ve spent a lot of time in the industry. It was fantastic.”

More than 400,000 pots of the yogurt have been sold across Australia since the launch of ‘Fruit for Good’ and Lyn hopes the initiative inspires others like it.

“We are just one pot of yogurt – but imagine if we could inspire other food manufacturers to get together and do the same thing? The collective effort would have an enormous impact. To me, that would be amazing.”

INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH US? PLEASE CONTACT FOODBANK VICTORIA’S PARTNERSHIPS TEAM ON (03) 9362 8300 OR PARTNERSHIPS@FOODBANKVICTORIA.ORG.AU

SAUL CANNON CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, PORT OF MELBOURNE

HUNGER RIDE PEDALS TO THE METAL FOR VITAL FOOD RELIEF.

The fifth annual Foodbank Corporate Hunger Ride took place on March 19, 2022, with seven teams taking on the demanding 185-kilometre, one-day ride through Victoria’s stunning high country to raise the equivalent of 300,000 meals for families doing it tough.

Riders represented Asahi, Coles, AusNet Services, Costa, SafeRoads, Aesop and Foodbank. Craig Bingham, CEO of our major sponsor for the event, Bennelong Funds Management, scored the coveted green jersey for raising the most individual funds. Event sponsor Montague JAZZTM Apples ensured there was always a fresh supply of nutritious snacks for our riders.

Hunger Ride Ambassadors Baden Cook, winner of the green jersey at the 2003 Tour de France, and SBS ‘voice of cycling’ Matthew Keenan were joined by Australian cycling royalty Cadel Evans who was announced as a special guest ambassador in the lead-up to our event.

Cyclists relished the once-in-a-lifetime chance to ride side by side with Evans and hear his unique cycling stories and insights.

Thanks to Bennelong Funds Management and Montague JAZZTM Apples, as well as all the riders and their donors, the support staff and volunteers, and the incredible team at KSJ Events for helping make The Hunger Ride such a success this year.

AN AMAZING RIDE IN FANTASTIC COMPANY FOR A REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL CAUSE... AND, MT BUFFALO IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CLIMB IN AUSTRALIA.

CADEL EVANS

KEEPING THE WHEELS TURNING BENNELONG FUNDS MANAGEMENT

With a deep-seated commitment to corporate responsibility, Bennelong Funds Management CEO Craig Bingham jumped at the opportunity to get involved in the Hunger Ride this year:

“CEO, Dave McNamara, did a presentation for our staff, and when we heard the numbers that your team is serving – 100,000 Victorians every two days -it resonated internally and people wanted to help,” said Bingham.

“So many of our staff contributed to fundraising for the ride and attended Foodbank’s warehouse in Yarraville to do a day’s work. It’s something that’s really hit a chord with everyone on our team.”

Craig is also Chair of AusCycling – a position he’s held since January 2022. From a cycling perspective, he’s excited about the opportunity the event provides the sport to do more for people doing it tough.

THE HUNGER RIDE IS A FANTASTIC CONCEPT, AND IT’S IMPORTANT TO GIVE IT LONGEVITY AND BETTER GENDER SUPPORT. WHEN YOU HAVE PASSIONATE PEOPLE BEHIND THINGS LIKE THIS, IT AUGURS WELL FOR ITS FUTURE VIABILITY. THE CREW IS BRILLIANT, THE PURPOSE IS GREAT, AND I JUST WANT TO SEE MORE MONEY RAISED, TO PUT MORE MEALS ON THE TABLE.

CRAIG BINGHAM CHAIR OF AUSCYCLING

INDIVIDUAL AND MATCHED GIVING

A YEAR OF STRUGGLE BECOMES A YEAR OF INCREDIBLE GIVING.

WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF GENEROUS INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANISATIONS, WE COULD NOT HAVE FED THE THOUSANDS VICTORIANS WHO NEEDED OUR HELP EVERY DAY THIS YEAR.

The release of the 2022 Foodbank Hunger report revealed the true scale of the cost of living crisis, with 23% of Victorian households more severely impacted by food insecurity than last year. Even those with jobs and a roof over their heads were unable to put regular meals on the table as the cost of living crisis intensified.

We met Perri and her husband from outersuburban Melbourne through one of our longtime charity partners. Perri’s story highlighted the relative ease with which everyday people can move from having the capacity to keep on top of their bills and afford a full trolley’s worth of groceries to needing help from a charity to survive day to day.

After sharing Perri’s story with our supporters, there was an overwhelming response and we saw the number of monthly Foodbank donors grow significantly. This increase in regular giving helped us plan our food purchasing so we can continue to provide regular, reliable meals to people like Perri – and more opportunities for them to thrive.

Every Foodbank fundraising appeal and every story of hardship covered by news outlets across the state generated a similar response. The ongoing generosity of giving allowed us to provide thousands of Victorian families with healthy, nutritious food when they needed it most throughout the year.

I FELT AS IF I’D WALKED INTO A MINI SUPERMARKET, THERE WAS SO MUCH CHOICE. I COULDN’T BELIEVE HOW MUCH FRESH FOOD THERE WAS. I ARRIVED THERE WITH AN EMPTY STOMACH, FEELING ASHAMED AND HUMILIATED. BUT I LEFT FEELING AS IF MY DIGNITY HAD BEEN RESTORED. AND THAT NIGHT MY HUSBAND AND I ATE BETTER THAN WE HAD IN MONTHS.

More than that, it showed vulnerable people like Perri that they are part of a community that cares deeply and will always support them during times of hardship.

DOUBLING THE IMPACT

Across 2021/22, our major giving campaigns featured a Matched Giving component.

The philanthropic arms of the Gandel Foundation (Christmas 2021) and the Decjuba Foundation (Winter 2022) played a critical role in encouraging our donors to double their impact, allowing us to put more essential food items in the cupboards, fridges and freezers of Victorians at times where demand for help is traditionally at its strongest.

Our heartfelt thanks to these two organisations for their incredibly generous support.

ABC GIVES

As part of our Christmas 2021 Appeal, we partnered with ABC774 for its annual ‘ABC Gives’ campaign; an on-air effort encouraging listeners to donate to Foodbank Victoria. The appeal kicked off with an outside broadcast from our Yarraville warehouse, anchored by ‘Mornings’ host Virginia Trioli.

ABC announcers featured Foodbank stories and interviews throughout the two-week campaign,

IT’S HEARTBREAKING TO REALISE HOW MANY FAMILIES ARE DOING IT TOUGH. FOOD SHOULDN’T BE A LUXURY IN THIS COUNTRY. WE KNOW OUR LISTENERS HAVE HUGE HEARTS AND WE HOPE THIS APPEAL WILL ENABLE FOODBANK TO DISTRIBUTE MANY THOUSANDS OF HAMPERS TO VICTORIANS IN NEED.

JACINTA PARSONS ABC PRESENTER

culminating in an all-day radiothon in the second week, with Foodbank Victoria team members answering the phones for the day and taking donations. The campaign provided a significant boost to our fundraising results for the 2021 Christmas Appeal.

We’re beyond grateful for the care and generosity of the entire community across the year!

FOODBANK VICTORIA ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022

OUR PEOPLE

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

What A Year!

After almost 9 years of tireless service, Dorothy Coombe retired as Chair of Foodbank Victoria in late 2021. Her legacy is extensive, having steered the board and CEO through periods of steady growth followed by events in recent years that saw us evolve and expand at an extraordinary pace. I’m grateful to have served on the board under Dorothy, whose warmth and empathy have shaped the way we work, and how we support our communities.

As the new Chair, I look forward to leading this incredible organisation into the future. As we deal with some of the toughest challenges in our history, the bar is being raised again.

The past year has been one of continuing challenges and for the second consecutive year, we have been tested in every aspect of what we do. But our response was swift. We changed many of the ways we deliver food. We innovated and extended our delivery models, introducing mobile supermarkets and pop-up Drive Thru services when demand rose steeply. At the heart of everything we do is our people. Every day I am reminded of the generous and committed team we have here at Foodbank, and I can’t thank everyone enough.

Our board continued to share their knowledge to shape our vision and mentor our staff. The financial generosity of our supporters, donors, and partners ensured that we could respond to the unprecedented demand. Our food donors provided millions of kilos of much needed produce.

Our courteous drivers travelled all over Victoria, often in challenging conditions. Our agency charity partners, many of whom were grounded for months, distributed over 7 million kilos of food this year. The outstanding support of teachers and schools in our School Breakfast

Club Program helped to distribute over 3 million meals to students in need, despite long periods of shut down. Our hardworking CEO Dave and the whole Foodbank team demonstrated their deep passion and commitment for what they do. They are second to none. And our incredible volunteers continued to support us, without whom we simply could not exist. Together, we’ve delivered almost 22 million meals to vulnerable communities across the state this year. We received remarkable levels of support from the community, and our corporate and philanthropic partners. Together with the ongoing support of the Victorian government, we were able to provide more food to more people than ever before. This commitment from all our supporters spurs us on to do more so that, no matter what the circumstances, no one in Victoria goes hungry.

As we look towards 2023, there’s plenty to be excited about. Building is about to start on our Community Food Centres in Ballarat and Morwell, something that’s never been done in the state. Giving people in those regions access to healthy food at no cost. Solving the issues of food insecurity hand in hand with these communities.

We’re facing the future with confidence knowing we have the strategy, people, and support to do what we’re here to do.

Feeding Victorians in need.

STEVE AUDSLEY - CHAIR

Steve Audsley Chair

BOARD MEMBERS

FY21-22

STEPHEN AUDSLEY - CHAIR

JULIETTE ALUSH

ROBERT BABB

AMBER COLLINS

CLAIRE HOOPER

TOM KIMPTON

TASS MOUSAFERIADIS

CATHERINE DIXON

RODNEY JACKSON

FINANCIALS

STATEMENT OF PROFIT OR LOSS AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2022

FINANCIALS STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 30 JUNE 2022

FUNDS

All donations to Foodbank go straight to our food relief and program development work in Victoria. For every $1 we receive, we’re able to provide 2 meals for someone in need. Donations over $2 are tax deductible. Make a donation on our website or call us.

FOOD

If you’re in the food industry, talk to us about the benefits of becoming a food donor. Call or email us.

If you’re an individual, or part of a workplace, school or community group, hold a food drive to collect and donate much-needed pantry staples and hygiene items. Visit our website for details.

VOLUNTEER

We can’t do what we do without volunteers. If you have some time and want to contribute in our warehouse, at our pop-up markets or community events, visit our website for details.

PARTNER

If you’re an organisation looking to give back, talk to us about partnership opportunities. Our partners are extended members of the Foodbank family, and we are committed to nurturing these relationships to achieve positive outcomes together. Call us to discuss.

Masterchef Judge - Melissa Leong

HEALTHY FOOD FOR ALL