Our Community Kitchen has now made and distributed more than half a million meals, an incredible achievement. 

Our Community Kitchen is a model of efficiency, relying on donations of food from supermarkets, farmers, and food manufacturers. This not only helps reduce food waste but also ensures that the meals produced are cost-effective and environmentally sustainable.

Together with an army of volunteers, Chef Grant and many, many kind-hearted volunteers have managed to turn donated, surplus food which would otherwise end up in landfill into half a million ready-to-eat meals.

Each week Chef Grant is dealt the ultimate mystery box challenge, or in his case, mystery pallet. It’s hard to imagine but this means that Chef Grant does not know exactly what he will be cooking each week and with what ingredients until sometimes the Monday morning he starts! Each meal is dependent on what is donated, so while he may plan to cook a traditional bangers and mash meal, it will likely have a twist – such an extra special mushroom sauce (if we get an unexpected delivery mushrooms) or to make his lasagne Mexican – because we have a big donation of nutritious canned beans. 

For nine years now, Chef Grant has coordinated teams of up to six to twelve volunteers daily. Together they prep, cook and package their meals ready to be frozen on a weekly basis so that they are ready for distribution the following week. The meals are distributed through our six distribution branches in Perth, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Peel, Bunbury and Albany. They can be obtained in the branches or are made available from our charity partners which range from supporting the elderly who need easy no fuss meals to domestic violence victims who may need a meal in the middle of the night quickly or someone going through serious illness who does not have the energy to cook. The list is endless. 

Regional WA is also more prone to supply chain disruptions due to its remoteness. Delays or shortages in transport can increase the price of food, especially fresh items with a shorter shelf life.

We don’t know where we would be without our branch partners, whose support means mean can deliver more fresh fruit and vegetables, our Everyday Food Essentials range and even nom! our nutrition education offering, where demand requires it.

Our Hunger Report for 2024 shows that in a state as fortunate as Western Australia, 370,000 households experienced food insecurity in the last 12 months with close to 200,000 households experiencing severe food insecurity in the same time frame with 1 in 5 people facing days of no food. That is not acceptable, and we must do better.

In Geraldton, Iluka’s support over the last three years has meant that we have been able to keep up with the growing demand the branch is seeing with both food assistance and nutrition education. Since July this year alone, we have seen an increase of almost 20% in households seeking food assistance.

A range of nutrition educations sessions have been delivered within the Greater Geraldton area with our nom! Schools and nom! programs thanks to Iluka, reaching more than 100 participants. These programs teach important life skills and how to eat healthy, gain confidence in the kitchen and make healthy food choices for life.

Iluka volunteer in our Perth branch, doing anything from helping out in the Community Kitchen preparing, cooking and freezing meals to packing hampers for distribution. Theres nothing they can’t do!

The 2023 Regional Price Index (RPI) results show that, overall, prices are more expensive than Perth in all regions, with prices highest in the Pilbara region, followed by the Kimberley and Gascoyne.

The results showed that our regional towns were more expensive in the majority of commodity groups measured such as food, clothing, housing, household equipment and operation and health and personal care, It’s no wonder that our regional towns need us more than ever.

When we venture South to our Bunbury Branch, the increase in households seeking food assistance in the same time period is very similar with a 19% spike. The cost-of-living crisis is impacting families so drastically that in Bunbury, to support those doing it the toughest, we provided 15,000 kilos of food for free during the month of October.

Thanks to our amazing Branch Sponsors South 32 who have partnered with us for three years now, we can meet the demand for food relief in Bunbury. We expanded our Mobile Foodbank to visit 15 communities in and around the Bunbury area. This means we can get more food to more people and lessen the burden for those who cannot afford the fuel to travel to the branch itself.

We are so thankful for regional branch partnerships. Without them we simply could not deliver enough food relief to meet growing demand around our state. Ongoing support means that we are building healthier, more resilient communities, and that they can count on us, nobody is going to be left behind.

Thanks to our partnership with the Craig Mostyn Group, our customers have had access to excellent quality meat from their Linley Valley Pork range of products, and are able to create balanced, nutritious meals without having to cut back or ration the all – important protein in their diets.

We are so excited that the Craig Mostyn Group has expanded their partnership with us to include red meat donations which is great news for our customers looking to try and include more red meat in their diet.

The Craig Mostyn Group has been working with us since 2023 providing weekly donations of their Linley Valley Pork range and now, through their division in Bunbury V&V Walsh, will be providing weekly donations of Amelia Park lamb shanks, lamb chops, lamb roasts and beef burgers. 

“We couldn’t be more pleased that the Craig Mostyn Group have added red meat to their regular donations to us. It’s not uncommon to hear from new customers that they have gone for months without eating meat due to the expense. We want to be able to offer our customers as much variety as possible, and with partnerships such as this, we can.” said Kate O’Hara, Foodbank WA CEO.

This will be a valuable addition to our product offering, providing more meal options for our customers while also allowing them to include affordable sources of valuable iron and nutrients into their diets. 

“We know there are many in WA going without because of cost-of-living pressures. As an agrifood company, this is our way of being able to provide real, tangible help by donating protein options for families to bring into their weekly meals,”said Paula Dennis, Group Manager, Marketing of Craig Mostyn Group.“We proudly support Foodbank and the great work they do for people in the WA community who need it most”.   

The Craig Mostyn Group is one of Australia’s leading diversified food and agribusiness companies servicing customers and suppliers both here in Australia and overseas. 

We are very lucky that they have the citrus to donate, firstly because the fruit is large and abundant this time of year and they can spare it. Often, the donations we receive from generous donors comes to us because it is deemed too large, too curvy, too small or a little off colour for the supermarkets, even though they are perfectly fresh – just as these oranges are – and super juicy too – making them a highlight in our branches. 

More than 16 tonnes have already been delivered, and more to come.

Oranges are a delicious fruit packed with numerous health benefits, one of the most well-known advantages of eating oranges is their high vitamin C content. This essential nutrient boosts the immune system, helping the body fight off infections and illnesses more effectively. Eating oranges regularly can help to reduce the severity and duration of colds and may even lower the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and certain cancers.

Oranges are also a good source of dietary fibre, which is important for maintaining healthy digestion. Fibre aids in preventing constipation, regulating blood sugar levels, and supporting weight management by promoting a feeling of fullness. Additionally, the natural sugars found in oranges provide a quick energy boost, making them an excellent snack option. 

Oranges contain various antioxidants which protect the body from oxidative stress and inflammation. Oranges are also rich in potassium, an essential mineral that helps regulate blood pressure by counteracting the effects of sodium. This makes oranges beneficial for cardiovascular health, reducing the risk of hypertension and stroke.

Given all these health benefits, perhaps the saying should be an orange a day keeps the doctor away?

Incorporating oranges into your diet is easy, whether eaten fresh, juiced, or added to salads and desserts. Enjoy while they are in season. 

We do have one large order pending confirmation, so if you’ve missed out, don’t worry just yet – we’ve created a standby list in case additional hampers become available.

If you would like to be added to the stand-by list, simply contact Candice Long at candice.long@foodbankwa.org.au. Each hamper is priced at just $50, with no minimum order required.

These hampers are designed to bring joy and nourishment to families across Western Australia during the holiday season.

Hampers will be ready for collection from your local Foodbank branch on Monday, 17 November 2025. If you need alternative arrangements, please discuss them with Candice when you join the stand-by list.

Each hamper is packed with a variety of delicious and essential items, from a Traditional Fruit cake, custard, tinned leg ham, instant mashed potato, canned fruits, vegetables, jelly and so much more – not to mention approximately 2kg of confectionary to satisfy any sweet tooth.

The total value of each hamper is $90, making it an excellent value for money.

Full Hamper Contents

Each hamper is packed with a variety of delicious and essential items, including:

• 1 x Traditional Foods Fruit Cake 700g
• 1 x Cerebos Custard 1ltr
• 2 x Continental Rich Brown Gravy 30g
• 1 x SPC Spaghetti 420g
• 1 x Plumrose Tinned Leg Ham Meat 450g
• 1 x SPC Baked Beans 425g
• 1 x Arnotts Nice Short Bread Biscuits 250g
• 1 x SPC Peaches in Natural Juices 825g
• 1 x Original Raspberry Flavoured Jelly 85g
• 1 x Edgell Mixed Vegetables 420g
• 1 x Deb Instant Mashed Potato 350g
• 1 x SPC Diced Tomatoes 400g
• 1 x Oriental Merchant Rice 1kg
• 1 x AGW/Rinaldi Pasta Penne 500g
• 1 x Green’s Pancake Mix 375g
• Confectionary/Snacks 2kg 

The Report revealed that over 210,000 WA households now regard their housing as unaffordable – an astounding 91% increase since 2022.

For renters, only 39% consider their housing affordable; and for those with mortgages, 48% feel the same.

It’s not difficult to understand that the basic human right to secure and safe shelter is slipping further out of reach for many.

Beyond the soaring rents and unaffordable mortgages lies another, often hidden consequence – food stress. As more Western Australians struggle to afford a place to live, many are also being forced to make impossible choices between paying for housing or putting food on the table.

In July this year we experienced an 16% increase in our daily average customers (compared to last year), assisting an average of 833 households a day and had 19,148 customers through our network.

Shining a spotlight on our regional branches, we hear every day how our customers are in a truly tough spot.

In Geraldton, customers often talk of rentals simply not being available (particularly for families) and when they are, the costs are simply too high. It’s common to hear of families and friends all moving in together to save costs, meaning there are often 8-10 people living in a house. They sleep in caravans, tents and swags in the back yard while the kids all sleep together in the lounge room.

Early last month in Albany, our branch manager noticed a long-term customer loading her shopping into the car and happened to notice extra bedding and a suitcase in the back. On speaking to her, he found out she had recently got to the end of her rental lease which was not being renewed and there were little to no rentals available in the local market. Now her and her teenage son are sleeping in the car and at friends’ houses where they can. She works, her son goes to school and things look fairly normal to the outside world, but behind closed (car) doors they are really struggling and haven’t yet managed to get a place to rent that is within their budget.

Another customer in Albany in her 60’s is living in her car about 40 minutes out of town. She shops with the branch each fortnight. To help her out, the branch keeps aside and freezes any 10 litre water containers they can for her. This becomes her refrigeration and her drinking water between visits. When a local doctor donated a $100 fuel voucher to the branch and it was then gifted to the customer, she literally buckled to the floor in tears of disbelief that someone cared to make that much of a difference to her life.

It’s clear that those already doing it tough are more vulnerable to terrible outcomes when circumstances change. The things we take for granted are overwhelmingly life changing for those without a home and facing food stress.

We urge anyone who has found themselves in struggling to reach out and seek help before they are plunged into financial hardship. 

We couldn’t help but share this adorable thank you video from the students at Birlirr Ngawiyiwu Catholic School. The school are members of our School Breakfast Program, and they receive orders four times a year. The road between Halls Creek and the community (Tanami Road) is gravel and very corrugated, and it can take three hours to complete the 166km journey (and it gets worse in wet weather!)

Located in the Kimberley region, the Shire of Halls Creek is one of Australia’s iconic outback regions with a unique cultural and heritage environment. Predominantly Aboriginal populations live in a number of remote communities around the district and the town site of Halls Creek.

The Shire of Halls Creek covers 142,908 square kilometres of the Kimberley is located approximately 2,850 kilometres to the North East of Perth and 362 kilometres south of Kununurra.