From setbacks to success

Amanda’s journey to us is far from conventional. For 30 years, she was a skilled hairdresser, bringing joy to her community through her craft. But she wanted to do more, especially after some time in prison. “This is different,” she says, “it’s giving back to my community in a productive way. It’s good for my soul.”

Emerging from prison, she faced the challenge of finding her feet once again. And to make things even more difficult, she’d just battled cancer. Tough? You bet. But so is Amanda.

Reflecting on her journey, Amanda candidly shares her initial fears of re-entering the workforce after her time in prison;

“When I was in prison, I struggled to think of how I was going get a job and what I was going to do. With the cancer, I had no hair at that point and didn’t feel confident to return to hairdressing. I wanted to find a job that would accept me and I thought “who’s going to do that?” I didn’t want them to look at me differently, and Foodbank hasn’t.”

This isn’t just a job; it’s a mission. Amanda’s role began in May and she admits to starting with little knowledge of warehousing. “I knew nothing about anything,” she laughs. But she has embraced the learning curve with enthusiasm.

“I think something was just calling me to work here,” she shares with a grin. And that something is the sense of purpose that fuels her every day. “Who cares if I’m tired?” she quips, “Every day, the work I’m doing means more families can put food on their tables that night and that’s all that matters.”

Amanda doesn’t see this as just a job, it’s a profound commitment. “When I was diagnosed, I thought to myself that if this was it, I haven’t done what I wanted to do in this world and I want to give back so much more than I have. I felt that for such a long time I was helping the wrong people and I want to help the right people, the people who really need it, and this is the right place to do it.”

“At Foodbank WA, we often say that our greatest strength lies in our people,” shared Kate O’Hara, CEO of Foodbank WA. “Amanda’s journey perfectly illustrates this. Her unwavering commitment to our cause, despite facing significant personal challenges, is a shining example of what it means to be part of our Foodbank family. We’re honoured to have her with us.”

Amanda’s story is a poignant reminder that working for a non-profit organisation like Foodbank is not just a job; it’s a purpose, a community, and the opportunity to make a real impact, even when life throws its curveballs. It’s about making a meaningful difference, even when faced with personal challenges.

Behind every emergency relief hamper is a finely orchestrated logistics process that ensures they are swiftly packed, loaded onto trucks, and distributed to those in need. We owe it all to our dedicated volunteers and fantastic distribution and logistics partners, who work together to make it happen.

We truly believe in the power of collaboration – we couldn’t do what we do without it – so in times of crisis, we work with Foodbank Australia through our national partnership to source key emergency relief products. This allows us to tap into a national network of large-scale suppliers, who send their products from the Eastern States for redistribution. As soon as the products are ready to go, they embark on their epic journey across the Nullarbor to reach our Perth warehouse, where we prepare them for delivery to communities in need. 

Every step of the way, we ensure that our products are meticulously unpacked, weighed, and prepared for redistribution. We want to make sure that each and every hamper is filled with care and thought, providing the nourishment and support that our communities need during tough times.

Once the hampers are ready to go, it’s time for our distribution and logistics partners to step in. They play a crucial role in ensuring that the hampers reach as close as possible to the areas where the need is greatest. Sometimes conventional transportation just isn’t feasible, but that doesn’t deter us. We collaborate with local emergency services and community resource centres, even using helicopters or boats, if necessary, to ensure that the hampers reach those who need them the most.

The impact of an emergency hamper relief is profound. It’s more than just food in a box – it’s a symbol of hope and solidarity. With every hamper is a heartfelt promise to stand with our communities in their time of need and bring nourishment, comfort and hope.

It’s true that we can never predict what natural disaster might be just around the corner, but one thing is for sure – we’ll be ready for whatever comes our way. With a certain amount of pre-packed hampers stockpiled and warehoused, we’re here to respond swiftly to any emergency.

Published on 4 August 2023.

How you can help to reduce your own food waste

Here are some simple tips to help reduce food waste, be more environmentally friendly and save money:

Adopt a healthier and more sustainable diet by choosing foods from the five core food groups and cut back on processed and packaged foods.

Budget and buy only what is needed. Plan your meals and write a shopping list. This great habit saves you time, money and makes it easy to organise dinner. Head to the Superhero Foods HQ for a handy meal planner. 

Where possible, choose the ‘ugly’ fruit and vegetables, pick from the ‘odd bunch’ area at your local shop. The odd-shaped fruit and veg are just as healthy and tasty, and once chopped or grated, you can’t tell the difference. You can also freeze your blackened bananas and other fruits for smoothies or sauces – think home-made apple sauce.

Supporting local food producers is beneficial too. By buying local produce, you support family farmers and small businesses in your community and you also help fight pollution by reducing food miles.

Store food wisely – rotate the food in your fridge, freezer and pantry so the older items are at the front and are used first. Have a look at the ‘use-by date’ and ‘best before date’ as the latter is still safe to eat after the suggested date. Cook or freeze those that are close to the use-by date.

Keeping health front of mind, eat smart. Freeze left-overs or have them for lunch the day after. Remember that you can always ask for a doggy bag to take left overs home after eating out to eat the next day.

Don’t forget that you can put your food waste to use, instead of throwing away your food scraps, compost them or give them to friends who have chickens, ducks or a worm farm.

Last but certainly not least, donate food that would otherwise be wasted. For example, ask family members, friends and neighbours if they would like to share your food or donate to food relief organisations like our very own.