An orchard full of sweetness

We didn’t have to ‘sweet talk’ any of the teams that signed up for our new corporate challenge Fruit Loop. They just put their best fruit pickin’ gear on and stripped the apple trees bare at Montague Orchard in Narre Warren on March 1 to raise fruit and funds for little old Foodbank.

Fruit Loop participants wearing their apple picking bags standing behind a crate full of apples

As our weary travellers plonked themselves down for a well-earned feast at Stella’s Kitchen and some gastronomically entertaining chat from Attica’s founder and head chef Ben Shewry, 50,000 apples were already on the way back to Foodbank. Ready to be distributed to folks in need around the state.

A tractor full of thanks to our amaaaazing teams of apple pickers:

AusNet, BildUrban, Chobani, DECJUBA Foundation, Jamf, McCain Foods, Peters Ice Cream, Repurpose It, Salesforce, Southern Cross Austero, Villawood and Woolworths.

Oh, and between them they raised 180,000 meals – yee haw!

Fruit Loop participant walking in orchardzoom icon

A group of Fruit Loop participants in the orchardzoom icon

Fruit Loop participant picking an apple from a treezoom icon

More articles below

Tile Image

Become a Corporate Volunteer angel
Tile Image

Turns out food is Love, Actually
Tile Image

Over the food rainbow with you

When towns lost connection, food got through because of you

Remember the giant storm that ripped through the state in February, leaving 135,000 homes without power?

While many of us moved on with our lives and the news cycle ticked over, weeks after the event hundreds of families living in regional Victoria were still in the dark.

Literally. Living without power and access to ATMs. Their local supermarkets unable to keep food chilled and the lights on.

We partnered with Red Cross Australia as we always do to supply emergency food hampers to those towns and communities until they were back on the grid. All thanks to your amazing support!

Foodbank truck in flood water

More articles below

Tile Image

Turns out food is Love, Actually
Tile Image

Become a Corporate Volunteer angel
Tile Image

Over the food rainbow with you

What a ripper result!

A Tuesday night, still over 30 degrees and playing in enemy territory – but over 10,000 footy fans trucked along to Ikon Park in Melbourne to watch an epic pre-season battle between the mighty Tigers and the reigning Pies.

And we were lucky enough to be in the thick of it.

Thanks to Richmond footy club who helped drive this incredible Charity Shield initiative and every person like you who bought a ticket or made a donation if they couldn’t make it to the game.

120,000 meals will now be on the tables of Victorians struggling to get by. We are humbled and energised – and ready to go around again next year!

Collingwood Players with pineapple trophy

Tile Image

Turns out food is Love, Actually

Tile Image

Become a Corporate Volunteer

Tile Image

Over the food rainbow with you

Chobani and Woolworths

Partnering with Foodbank to increase access to fresh produce for Aussies in need

In February 2024, Chobani teamed up with Foodbank and Woolworths to launch two new 907g tubs of Strawberry and Passion Fruit yogurt, with every tub sold donating 6 meals to Aussies in need. This is the second campaign of this type, with the inaugural campaign in 2022 providing the equivalent of 552,000 meals.

With a commitment to donate 100% of profits, the limited edition product was exclusive to Woolworths and helped provide the equivalent of 1.56 million meals.

The funds raised from the campaign will go towards the purchasing and distribution of fruit and vegetables across the country.

Tim Browne, GM ESG & General Counsel Chobani, reflects on the collaborative nature of Chobani’s relationship with Foodbank. “As a food and drinks manufacturer we have a responsibility to ensure everyone has access to nutritious food. However, we recognise that understanding the specific needs of communities requires expertise – that’s where Foodbank comes in. Our partnership with Foodbank is more than just a collaboration; it’s a friendship built on a shared mission to use food as a force for good. We are always looking for new and innovative ways to support Foodbank and make a tangible impact. Through our close collaboration, Foodbank has highlighted the pressing need for fresh produce, and we’ve tailored this initiative to address this directly.”

Driven to use its platforms, resources and influence to improve food access, Chobani hopes that this campaign will also encourage other brands to make their own positive impact on individuals and local communities. “Collective corporate efforts have the power to ignite positive impact on individuals and communities experiencing hunger,” said Browne.

All we want for Christmas is a spatula that feeds 250,000 Australians

FBV Spatulas Home Tile

What happens when you give five community minded celebrities the opportunity to channel their inner Banksy on a spatula to help Foodbank feed families in need?

Well, you end up with five unique pieces of collectable art, that also help make super delicious Christmas cakes*

Foodbank Ambassadors Hamish Blake and Chrissie Swan have joined forces with Attica head chef Ben Shewry, MasterChef dessert queen Kirsten Tibballs and model/presenter Rebecca Judd to design these limited-edition Foodbank spatulas produced in partnership with our generous friends at Minimax.

There are velvety hearts, pastel roses, pop art cupcakes, Attica graphics and words to inspire a thousand slightly sticky smiles. We love them all.

It’s the ultimate feel-good Christmas gift that puts food on the table for vulnerable families right across the country.

On any given day in Australia, there are half a million households who can’t afford food so these big hearted, beautifully crafted spatulas couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Spatula by Foodbank can be purchased from Minimax stores and minimax.com.au for $19.95 and 100% (yes, 100%) of the proceeds will go to Foodbank.

Every spatula sold equals 25 meals, so that’s going to add up to an incredible 250,000 extra meals by Christmas with the help of gift shoppers who know just how hard a year it has been for so many.

*We can’t actually ‘guarantee’ the super delicious bit, but the odds are good!

Spatulas designed by celebrities

Every spatula sold equals 25 meals

DoorDash and Melbourne United

Slam dunking the season away with 41,000 meals donated to Foodbank

During the 2022/2023 NBL season, DoorDash and Melbourne United (MU) partnered with Foodbank to donate meals for struggling Victorians.

Across Melbourne United’s 28 home and away games, DoorDash committed to donating $250 to Foodbank Victoria for every slam dunk made by an MU player, equating to a total of 500 meals. Closing the door on another incredible season, MU scored a total of 82 dunks, resulting in 41,000 meals delivered to Foodbank via DoorDash for those doing it tough.

DoorDash General Manager in Australia and New Zealand Rebecca Burrows said it was important to DoorDash to be part of this cause. “We are so thrilled to have established this formidable partnership with Melbourne United and Foodbank Victoria, which draws on our brand’s mission to empower local communities and create meaningful connections with the people we serve. Being able to deliver 41,000 meals to Australians living with food insecurity through such a wonderful sporting event fills us with such pleasure.”

Melbourne United CEO Nick Truelson voiced how proud he was to see his team so enthusiastically coming on board to support Foodbank while doing something they love.“ Being part of this initiative has been both eye-opening and rewarding for the entire Melbourne United team. We had 8 different players contribute to the tally, ranging from our tallest dunker (7ft) to our shortest (6ft), so it truly was a whole team effort. We are feeling immensely grateful to have been given the opportunity to give back to a cause so vital to the welfare of our community.”

Kurnai College – LaTrobe Valley Flexible Learning Option

LaTrobe Valley Flexible Learning Option (LVFLO) has 120 students attending the school, over four days of the week. They offer the School Breakfast Clubs Program twice a day, serving around 40 kids per day.

What? Breakfast twice a day?

LVFLO is a tailored school for specific kids. The students attending LVFLO are at risk or already disengaged from education and require further support than a mainstream school can provide. Each student enrolled brings a unique set of experiences that has impacted their educational engagement.

The students receive individualised learning plans with a strong focus on providing holistic support. There is a Young Parents program providing both academic and life skills, a tailored music program and even a barrister training program to provide skills that will help these students outside of their school days.

The students generally attend school once a day, either in the morning or afternoon session. Therefore, there are kids arriving at school not only in the morning but also in the afternoon who may not have had any food. So, the answer is to provide Breakfast Club twice a day, once for the morning session and once for the afternoon session.

On any given day, you can smell bacon cooking twice a day. The school uses their School Breakfast Clubs Program products and adds bacon and eggs to provide more protein. Actually, it’s not just about the nutrition, it is also an incentive to get the kids to come to school.

Pantry stocked with school breakfast club productszoom icon

Front of LaTrobe Valley Flexible Learning Optionzoom icon

Food for all

The school is set up with several kitchens, ensuring the kids can access School Breakfast Clubs Program food whenever they need. Ensuring these kids are not hungry at school is a priority.

Additionally, families are offered Home Food Packs on a Friday. There is no school on a Friday for these kids, so the school has the time to pack up the food and hand it out to school families as required.

Ronnie (The fabulous school Cook): “The contribution that Foodbank has made has enabled us to ensure that our students are provided with a nutritious meal prior to their learning schedule. As you would all know, your brain uses a quarter of your daily energy just to function. Having access to food impacts on learning especially when most of our students come from a low-socio economic background and may have financial situations limiting food security. Breakfast Club also allows our students to check in, debrief, belong and to share a meal in a safe family environment.”

Erin (The wonderful Wellbeing Manager): “The last thing we want our students to worry about is being hungry, so Breakfast Club is so important at our school. A guaranteed yummy breaky every morning gives the students motivation to attend as well as having the opportunity to chat to staff and each other.”

Nick (The awesome Principal): “Breakfast Club has been a fantastic way to connect our students to our school. Coming in each day and having breakfast with their classmates creates routine and ensures they are present, full, and ready to learn.”

LaTrobe Valley Wellbeing Officer Erin standing in the kitchen
LaTrobe Valley Wellbeing Officer Erin

THERE’S A COST OF LOVING CRISIS

After more than a year of rising costs and interest rates, it’s no longer simply a cost of living crisis. There is a cost of loving crisis.

It’s the pain we feel when someone we know, someone we love, is struggling to get by.

It’s mums and dads pretending to have dinner ‘after lights out’ so their kids can eat. It’s students fainting because they’ve had to choose rent over food and Nana having biscuits for every single meal. Or nothing at all when she saves the biscuits for when the grandkids visit.

You can’t put numbers around this crisis, but you can put your arms around people – and that’s what we do. Every day.

Over 30 per cent of the people turning up for assistance now have never been to a charity before because they have predominantly never needed to. Many of them used to donate to Foodbank and now they’re relying on Foodbank.

“We’re feeding 50,000 people every day, and I know those numbers will continue to rise as the weather gets colder and families are forced to choose between heat and food, rent and food, or mortgages and food,” Dave McNamara, CEO Foodbank Victoria said.

You can help us wrap our arms around families this winter so they can all enjoy fresh, healthy food together!

EVERY $1 DONATED IS TWO MEALS CREATED

Park Towers community pantry feeding hundreds each week

About 1200 people call the Park Towers public housing in South Melbourne home. While the numbers may fluctuate, you can be certain that the majority of occupants are struggling to make ends meet on any given day.

Troy, a resident of the Towers, had a plan to open a community pantry in the base of the units, that all residents of the Towers could have access to.

Fast forward 2.5 years to now, and Troy’s plan is fully operational and helping feed about 450-500 folks each week, with no questions asked. Foodbank Victoria provides 90% of the food to help feed the residents.

Park Towers resident Troy in community pantry

Troy told us he had noticed a sharp increase in the number of people accessing the pantry and he was concerned that it was only going to get worse before it got better.

He hoped that residents, who were often suffering mental health issues, drug addiction, social awkwardness, and race and religion barriers, received a little respite through the pantry at a time when things are so tough.

Breakfast Club breaks down barriers

Horsham Primary School is a dual campus P-6 Primary School with a combined enrolment of approximately 440 students, educating those from both Horsham City and the surrounding rural areas.  

Student wellbeing is a continued priority for the school, especially as almost 50 per cent of their students are statistically recognised as coming from a disadvantaged background. With this in mind, Horsham Primary School is always searching for programs that assist to prepare students to be ready to learn each day, and this is where the Foodbank School Breakfast Clubs program steps in. 

Is That Music in the Air?

Brent White is the Student Wellbeing Coordinator at Horsham Primary School, and as part of this role he is responsible for the School Breakfast Clubs Program. Brent is passionate about making the breakfast accessible to kids that really need a good start to the day. His previous experience with underprivileged communities gave him good insight into stigma associated with providing free food to families. Brent wanted to make the free breakfast approachable and stigma free – so he turned to the Nutbush!  

 It is easy to find the Horsham Primary School Breakfast Club, because DJ Brent appears every day taking requests. The music is blasting across the school, and it brings the kids in. On any given morning, you will find 50 or 60 kids doing the Macarena, moving to the YMCA, grooving to the Nutbush, or any other dance songs the kids request. 

While the music creates a fun environment, its real agenda is achieved by breaking down the stigma involved with kids needing food – especially when the whole school wants to be part of the club. 

Horsham students doing the nutbush dance

Police serve milk to Horsham students

The Community Grows Tighter 

Horsham Primary School uses the Breakfast Club to assist in breaking down not only personal stigma, but also barriers between the local police and school kids by inviting the local police to come along to help at the breakfasts.  

“When the students meet our team in person, they are sometimes shocked to know that police are nice and just normal people. Unfortunately, some of these kids have only had negative experiences with the Police, and when they see us dancing with them it really helps to see us as people they can trust not fear”, said Leading Senior Constable Linda McLenna from the Wimmera Proactive Policing Unit.   

The Proactive Policing Unit attends the breakfast clubs at both campuses, helping to set up the breakfast and serve the kids. The kids love chatting to the team and they have also been caught dancing to the YMCA!

Breaking Down Barriers 

The Breakfast Club offers more than nutritional food, it also provides Horsham Primary an avenue to create a safe space for kids who are seeking responsibly in a community setting.  Brent has created the Wellbeing Warriors, who are kids that he felt would benefit from being part of assisting with the program. The Wellbeing Warriors are provided with a “Helper” badge, and they come into school to help make sandwiches for lunches, sort fruit and vegetables and other roles of responsibility. The badges give the kids a sense of belonging too.   

The kids feel like they are part of something special. The responsibility provided to the Wellbeing Warriors provides the kids with the feeling of being needed, which they might not always get outside of school sadly,” Brent said.

Horsham School Breakfast Club volunteer Brentzoom icon

Two Horsham students with boxes of fruitzoom icon

Parent Testimonial 

My name is David.  I am a single father of 3 children who attend the Horsham Primary School and feel so fortunate that the school has the support of Foodbank. 

I have experienced many personal events that are still painful, and my children have been sadly exposed to trauma and this has created confusion, financial loss, accommodation, and food insecurity, not to mention trust issues. 

However, I know through the support of Foodbank and the staff of the Horsham Primary School that my children will be treated fairly, not judged, fed when we are struggling, so school attendance is there haven and gives me the opportunity to return to work with the hope of re-establishing a life and opportunities for my family. 

Having access to the food hampers allows me to feed my children over the weekends and holidays when things are tight and reinforces hope, and once I got over the embarrassment and swallowed my pride accepting support has enabled a positive shift for my children and for myself. I could not be more grateful for the support.