Foodbank Victoria Spring 2023 Newsletter

The Juicy Juice: Spring ’23

We’re seeing food stars

(ahem, that’s you)

INSIDE Snacks of good news

They had us at hello.

One of the basic things we want to do as parents is put good food on the table for our kids, but food insecurity affects how you thought you’d be able to parent.

It’s when we look into the eyes of the kids that come to our Farms to Families markets and mobile supermarkets that we know you’re helping us do such an incredibly important job.

Our markets are more than just a place for families to pick up food. For many of these little ones, it’s a day out. At the end of it, they sense that their parents are happier. You can see it. What they probably don’t realise is that it’s the knowledge that mum or dad can put food on the table that night that’s putting smiles on faces. Smiles that have been missing for weeks, perhaps even months. WE LOVE OUR WORK –

HOPE YOU LOVE READING ABOUT IT.

Stretching arms across Victoria.

With your help, our healthy food for all vision has just taken an Olympic sized leap with the FOODBANK COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRE in Ballarat now open for biz. A big, warm, purple hug that’s going to wrap arms around six local government areas stretching hundreds of km’s northwest of Melbourne.

If you’d like your mind to be boggled (and who doesn’t ), check out the ‘ooh-ah’ statistic!

80 HUMANS WORKED

1,700 HOURS TO BUILD THIS

Just the beginning of the big, bold food plan YOU’RE helping us roll out across Victoria and we won’t stop until we reach every community, every family, and every individual who needs us.

Next off the blocks … HELLO MORWELL COMMUNITY FOOD CENTRE!

Community vegetable gardens will grow here!

You are the beneath

If you happened to be orbiting earth inside a spaceship recently, you’d have spotted a shimmering cloud of purple drifting over the Southern hemisphere. Ok, not really. But it was hard to miss Foodbank down here on terra firma as our fleet of trucks, vans and mobile supermarkets whizzed around the state delivering food to more vulnerable people than at any time in our 93-year history. Yep, we’ve distributed a jaw dropping 23.8 MILLION MEALS over the last twelve months. That’s 27% more than the previous year, including 41% more fresh, healthy produce with June breaking all records for food moving through our warehouse. All because of YOUR incredible generosity.

Nothing chilly about your response –5.6 MILLION MEALS raised in our Winter Appeal!

beneath our wheeeeels.

But all that food out means way too many folks can’t get enough in. Demand is still surging, and our community needs us now more than ever. We’re a mega pantry for 500 charities right across Vic who rely on our food to support their locals. Every day, they see more mums and dads who both have jobs but can’t magically pay soaring mortgages and bills on wages that have flatlined. Good thing we’re able to be here for ALL of them, because of CERTAIN somebodies. Having YOU on board is like a zingy spring breeze, lifting us up and propelling us forward.

What happens when you give five community minded celebrities the chance to channel their inner Banksy on a spatula to raise dollars for Foodbank? Five unique pieces of collectable art, straight from the heart of our ambassadors Hamish Blake and Chrissie Swan, and fab new friends Kirsten Tibballs, Bec Judd and Attica head chef

Here’s a sneak preview of what will soon be on sale exclusively through Minimax … oh, and some guy named ‘Vincent Van Dough’ insisted on whipping one up.

Our fave four Forkies!

These Foodbank legends manoeuvre food ‘round our warehouse with the dexterity of F1 drivers and if they weren’t doing that, they’d be running the world. The perfect combo of heart and hard graft - we’re lucky to have ‘em. Here’s what you need to know about…

Karma

I’m good at spelling, or used to be. I’ve actually won some spelling bees. (We tried him out on ‘pseudonym’ and he NAILED it!)

TJ

Growing up in the Cook Islands and relying on Red Cross hampers after every cyclone, I love working at Foodbank knowing what a difference we make to people’s lives. (and we love her.)

Pascal

I love eating out, I am willing to try anything and I speak French. Maybe not such a surprise as I AM French!

(Touche Pascal, touche...)

Thomas

Secretly I’m a semi-Michael Buble. (He’s not joking. We’ve heard him belt out ‘Come Fly with Me’.)

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.

School of ‘you rock.’

Ever tried counting to thirty million? So, we checked with a maths teacher and turns out it would take almost a year. Now, try serving…

30 MILLION

MEALS

Actually, we’ve just done that through our School Breakfast Clubs program in partnership with Vic Government. It took seven years, but thanks to everyone involved and YOU supporting our food programs what began as a small-scale initiative now supports more than 1,000 SCHOOLS and their local communities. Delivered by a cohort of exceptionally caring teaching staff, students and totally rockin’ volunteers.

Our Regular Givers are MARVELLOUS!

Did you know that while we received 4.5 million kg’s of food from our fabulous food donors last year, it wasn’t nearly enough to meet the demand? We’ll need to spend $5.2 million on food this year to support the 57,000 PEOPLE relying on our help each day! And that’s why we love our regular donors so much. Regular, reliable donations mean we can provide regular, reliable meals for families, kids, and everyone in need all over Victoria.

Tidha and Campbell started giving to Foodbank after they discovered a friend was relying on us for food. “We realised how fortunate we were and that donating a small amount each month could really make a difference”. And while the current economic situation makes it tough for everyone, it also means the need is even greater.

Giving the same amount each month means families like Tidha’s can budget around it - it’s set and forget for them, and ensure the supply for us!

Like to give a regular donation from your bank account or credit card every month?