You’ve got food mail! INSIDE Some ‘berry’ awesome news The Juicy Juice: Autumn ’23
A bumper crop of kindness
YOUR DONATIONS TO OUR CHRISTMAS APPEAL HELPED CREATE ALMOST 6 MILLION MEALS!
Remember our Christmas Appeal?
You were invited to be ‘An angel at the table’ for those struggling to feed their families, not only on Christmas Day but every week as the cost of living crisis continued to bite vulnerable Victorians. So, how did it work out? Well, let’s just say the sound of approaching wings could be heard at the North Pole as
you flew in to help us. Ushers collecting for Foodbank after every performance of A Christmas Carol at the Comedy Theatre couldn’t find enough tins to hold the donations. (We know many who gave had very little wriggle room in their own budgets… amazing). Those incredible angels at Decjuba
Foundation helped us create ONE MILLION MEALS by matching your BIG-HEARTED donations. Every letter and email we sent our community sharing stories of real hardship, was met with a spirit of generosity that gave our hearts a good old squeeze. WHAT LEGENDS YOU ARE!
Awwww
Top ATAR* score for our Home Food Packs
Our School Breakfast Clubs Program, in partnership with the Victorian Government, has delivered 28 MILLION MEALS to students since day one (awesome), but once the bell goes the food challenges won’t stay in the playground. Too many families don’t have enough food to cover meals for dinners, weekends or holidays.
When families need that extra help, we’re there for them. Our School Breakfast Clubs also provide Home Food Packs every day of the school week. Students choose food their families will love and take it home discreetly in non-branded, reusable green bags. Demand for the Home Food Packs is increasing each year, with 6,000 taken up in the lead up to Christmas holidays. So, we’ll be working hard in 2023 to get food to everyone who needs it.
For more info on our School Breakfast Clubs Program head to SCHOOLBREAKFASTCLUBS.ORG.AU
*Always There Always Ready (not a real acronym – we wish it were!)
100% RECYCLED
As easy as A, B, C… +27% 27% more packs distributed last year for free!
What a Drive Thru, with you at the wheel
Sure, Christmas was a busy time for us but with food, rent, energy costs and interest rate rises continuing to push more Victorians into severe food insecurity in the lead-up to December 25, we had to do more - and quickly. Thanks to some incredible support from you, we found enough food and volunteers to run an emergency public Drive Thru on Sunday, 4 December.
We had 1,600 cars come through the Drive Thru sites at Epping and Dandenong and pick up free hampers with fresh food and pantry staples. No questions asked.
Couldn’t have done it without you and our besties Chobani and Melbourne Markets who provided spaces and staff with an enthusiasm that was, quite frankly, humbling.
Tutti frutti, you bewdy!
We know Australia has a food waste problem, right? One of the ace things about being Foodbank is that we have some friends in high places with big hearts (Peters and Montague – looking at you). They came up with a tangy, sweet way to tackle the waste issue and raise funds for Foodbank over summer.
A delicious sorbet stick made from rescued Aussie plums (that would otherwise have gone into landfill) that goes by the delightful name of Rescue Pops – Plums Up.
Our staff were chilled to bits when they got to sample these plummy little treats.
Stats that mean we can’t veg out
Why are we working round the clock to deliver more fresh food than ever before?
The current cost of living crisis has been a game changer for us all. Working families are facing the HIGHEST COST OF LIVING increases in TWENTY YEARS
Yep, supermarket prices rose 9.2% in the last quarter of 2022 with fresh produce out of reach for many. Rate rises are creating mortgage stress and too many families simply
can’t afford to buy food – let alone healthy, fresh food.
Like you, we don’t want to see anyone miss out so we’re spending more money than ever on purchasing food - $5 MILLION last year including 45% more fresh food. Record breaking numbers.
The support you give means we can continue to help all Victorians including those hit hardest by the ever-increasing cost of living.
Every day you help us feed 50,000 PEOPLE and counting…
You’re like a dose of B vitamins, keeping our energy up!
She’s got the whole world in her hands
Dear Melita
Ever wondered how quickly we put your gift to work (super faaaasst ), and what that means for the incredible people who allow us to share their Foodbank stories with you?
We caught up with multi-talented mum Melita who went through such a tough time last year but has started 2023 with a new job and truckloads of positivity – thanks to you. With support from you and her local Neighbourhood Mill House in Maryborough who delivers our food, Melita’s Christmas was “fantastic”. She took her kids Madison and Luke to the beach for a picnic lunch with plenty of fresh food, sunshine and a classic Aussie treat for dessert: icy poles!
Food has transformed Melita’s life. Giving her the energy to complete a community services course and score a brand new job as a health worker. She also put her artistic skills to work over summer, painting a striking mural at Mill House for her community to enjoy.
Melita loved your Christmas messages: “I was absolutely lost for words. These people that didn’t even know me, sending me these beautiful messages? I couldn’t believe it.”
“At Christmas, I looked in the cupboard, and there was food there. My car was full of petrol, and it was the first time in a long time that had happened. It gave me such a sense of freedom and relief.”
100% RECYCLED
From little things mega things grow
Earthworks are complete, steel frameworks are going up, up, up and we’re on track to open the doors of our Ballarat Community Food Centre by the end of July! In case you haven’t heard, in partnership with Vic Government we’re building something pretty special. An ecosystem of warehouses, a kitchen, supermarket, roads and expansive green
spaces that will feed vulnerable people in regions that have been identified as an urgent priority for government – Ballarat, Morwell and surrounding areas. These are our most ambitious food programs yet, but we’re so passionate about providing a permanent and sustainable solution directly to these communities.
A sneak peek at Ballarat in progress…
…and here’s how the finished product will look.
468,000 standing ovations
When the Old Vic production of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol chose Foodbank as charity partner for their first Melbourne season, we were chuffed. Who doesn’t love the idea of David Wenham as Ebeneezer Scrooge and Brendan Curry as his embattled employee Bob Cratchit? We were struck by the synchronicity of the work we do and this close-to-home tale about how generosity transforms the lives not only of those who receive but those who give. Sound familiar?
The generosity of the cast, crew and everyone who donated was a-mazing. David Wenham spoke from the stage about Foodbank and the 50,000 people we’re feeding daily – after every single performance. Incredible. His largesse was matched by the thousands who came to see the show and we raised the equivalent of 468,000 MEALS .
We love a wonky cucumber but…
Everyone’s familiar with supply chains these days. What you might not realise is that here at Foodbank, we sometimes call it a ‘SURPRISE’ CHAIN .
You see, we get fantastic support from our food donors – everyone from farmers donating misshapen produce, supermarkets delivering surplus goods and even good Samaritans running a local food drive on our behalf. We get all sorts: tins of fruit with dents galore, boxes of cereal and even the odd wonky cucumber. The point
is – we don’t know what we’re getting, when it’s coming or in what volumes. It’s a surprise every time!
Sadly, the demand for our food isn’t a surprise and it’s set to explode. That means it’s becoming extremely difficult to ensure we have enough food at the right time for those who are going without. Here’s where you can have a MASSIVE impact!
A regular, reliable donation from you, means you can provide regular, reliable
If you would like to sign up to give a regular donation from your bank account or credit card every month –scan here! Or call our friendly Supporter Care team on 1800 943 005
100% RECYCLED
Here at Foodbank, it’s really important for us to be able to tell our story – but it’s no more important than looking after our planet, so we’ve committed to using recycled paper whenever we have something to say.
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