Yes, fast food can be healthy.

​​​​​This may come as a surprise, but here at Foodbank Vic there’s a kind of ‘fast food’ we’re happy to embrace…

Did you know that Foodbank Victoria dates all the way back to the 1930s? Boy, have we come a long way since then! Did we ever deliver food in Flintstone cars? No, we’re not quite that old… but we have made some big improvements along the way.

Until recently, our fresh fruit and veggie deliveries rolled up to our warehouse doors in bins. Our volunteers would sort produce out of those bins into smaller boxes for distribution. Now, we have a brand-new packing line that makes this process not x1, not x2, but X9 TIMES FASTER.

A massive thank you to the Phil Taylor Foundation for donating this machine and helping us get more food out to where it needs to be!

Every $1 donated is 2 meals created

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Some pretty spectacular spatulas.

What’s giving red velvet cupcake AND red-carpet vibes? Only our brand-new batch of celebrity spatulas…

Last year, we gave celebrities the challenge of designing their very own spatulas to raise funds for Foodbank. Now, it’s officially time for round two… and guess who’s stepped up to the plate this year?

Pick up a piece of art to keep in your kitchen at home, with designs created by Foodbank ambassadors Hamish Blake and Chrissie Swan, plus Sophie Monk, Adam Liaw, Glenn Robbins, and legendary Herald Sun cartoonist Mark Knight.

Available from October exclusively through Minimax (not long to wait now!)

Foodbank celebrity spatula designs

Every $1 donated is 2 meals created

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Thanks Victoria – you brought all the food!

​​Your response to our Emergency Food Drive knocked our socks off (not our steel capped boots tho)…

We put the call out for help, and you sure did answer   At our Emergency Food Drive on August 10-11, we saw first-hand that gritty ‘roll up your sleeves and we’ll make this happen’ attitude that is pretty much part of Victoria’s DNA.

All weekend long, our community rocked up to our Yarraville Warehouse with smiles, beautiful words of encouragement and best of all, arms and boots full of food.

With our volunteers cheering them on like a finals crowd at the ‘G, there were cars of all kinds, scooters and Harleys, families with their kids, a gleaming convoy of vintage Thunderbirds and not one but TWO big red CFA trucks. Hugs were exchanged, and friendships forged as our oversized bins began to fill with 100’s and 100’s of cans, packets and boxes of the items we needed to help feed Victorians.

CFA dropping food at Foodbank

And, ever since that weekend, the tonnes of food you brought to our giant roller doors have been heading straight back out of our warehouse and onto the tables of those who need it most.

You know that line from David Bowie, ‘We can be heroes – just for one day’? Well, you were…except it was TWO days and the impact of your generosity is going to last for much longer than that.

Couldn’t get there yourself? You can still be part of our Virtual Food Drive so head over there and fill up a bag, basket or trolley to help feed more Victorians.

Support the Virtual Food Drive

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A really messy food fight,  making a really big difference.

Heard about Food Fight? The fundraiser taking place across Victoria, asking schools and students to put their hands up to fundraise for Foodbank?

Yep, you heard that right. In exchange for an afternoon of flinging fake food and having buckets full of fun, students can raise much-needed funds for Foodbank.

Do you know a school that would be up for piffing stuff to help feed people? Well, tell them to sign up?

Huge thanks to those 100 schools who’ve already raised 1 million meals – Legends.

Get your school on board today

Sign up today

Who doesn’t love a heart-melting moment?

‘Hope’ was in for a real soaking this Winter, until you helped us defy BOM’s gloomy forecast…

From frosty mornings in Fed Square to bone chilling rains in the Central Highlands, Foodbank Victoria markets popped up all over the state, each week, right across Winter – no matter what the weather threw at us.

All thanks to everyone who gave so generously to our Winter Appeal including our marvellous Matched Giving donors and regular givers.

That’s thousands and thousands of YOU helping remove the ‘NOT’ in the stomachs of 65,000 Victorians a day who rely on Foodbank.

You’re creating warm smiles and sending a message of ‘Hey, we’ve got your back’ with all that fresh, beautiful veg and fruit we pack into boots, bags and baskets.

Every $1 donated is 2 meals created

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You’re never too young to be crowned AWESOME!

Meet one of the youngest members of our Nourish Collective – Elena, who is proof that you can do amazing things for your community at any age.

At just 10 years old, Elena decided to sign herself up to our regular giving program (a community we like to call our Nourish Collective), with her parent’s approval, of course, and now generously donates some of her savings each month to help the 65,000 people we’re feeding each and every day.

And she’s even inspired her younger sisters to do the same!

“I love donating to Foodbank knowing it helps families have food” she said.

Foodbank Victoria Regular Giver Elena

And we love Elena too.

Our Nourish Collective are nothing short of amazing. Lately, we’ve been relying on their help. More than ever before.

Just like the prices rising on your local supermarket shelves, it’s becoming more and more expensive to source the food we need. All while demand continues to grow and grow. Which is why we need donations that we can count on, each and every month. Providing the funds we need to nourish the people who need our help now.

Pretty awesome generosity, right? We think so too.

Join our Nourish Collective today

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Paris may have the Mona Lisa. But we have Rebekah

You don’t need to be an art lover to appreciate this smile and the story behind it…

You helped us, help Rebekah. She’s the heartbeat of her growing family; always happy to stop and have a friendly chat and share her grandmother’s deliciously rustic recipes.

The epitome of so many mums we meet, all trying to make miracles happen when hope is scarce.

With four children to feed and take care of, the youngest just six months old, to say she has her hands full is, well, an understatement.

Things are a little easier now that Rebekah can access a regular and reliable source of fresh, healthy food thanks to the incredible support of Victorians like YOU through our Winter Appeal.

We’re so glad you can help us be there for all the ‘Rebekah’s. Without them, our communities can’t thrive.

Every $1 donated is 2 meals created

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Save your myki – you won’t need it for this bus!

Much needed food is rolling into local communities on our supersized purple Mobile Supermarket Buses with more than 9,000 families hopping on over the last 12 months to fill their empty bags with beautiful, wholesome food.

With entry at the back and exit at the front, the 18-metre ‘bendy’ buses offer a miniature supermarket experience complete with shelving and refrigeration stocked with a range of fresh veg, fruit, staple pantry items and in-demand chilled foods like yogurt and milk. Each bus delivers 2,000 kg of fresh, healthy food – that’s 3,363 meals for every bus trip.

Foodbank volunteers standing outside purple mobile supermarket bus waving

Foodbank volunteers holding potatoes in mobile supermarket bus, surrounded by fresh vegetable and fruit in baskets on shelves

These buses allow us to reach vulnerable people living in the heart of our suburbs who don’t have the capacity to travel or aren’t able to access food relief centres. It’s a way we can provide a truly respectful service offering food that suits our culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Over the year, these mighty machines have made 71 trips and distributed more than 245,000 meals across metropolitan Melbourne – that’s despite all the roadworks

We couldn’t have done this without our incredible partners, the team at Kinetic and DECJUBA Foundation and we’re so thankful on behalf of those 9,000 families to have their continuing support to keep our bountiful buses on the road.

We like to think of them as wheels with feels.

Help Victorians doing it tough

The Surprising Group Facing a Lack of Food in Australia

International students in Australia are increasingly facing shortages of fresh, healthy and nutritious food as they battle ongoing food insecurity, according to Allianz Partners. 

Statistics from Allianz Partner’s inaugural State of Student Healthcare Report reveal more than a third of international students in Australia can’t afford to eat fresh fruit and vegetables – despite contributing a whopping $34 billion into Australia’s economy each year. 

Allianz Partners Executive Head of Health, Miranda Fennell emphasised the importance of supporting the hundreds of thousands of people coming to Australia to study each year.  

“We know 74% of students are experiencing financial pressure. The rising cost of living can leave these bright minds, who contribute so much to our educational landscape, going hungry,” Ms Fennell said.  

“At Allianz Partners, we believe in fostering a strong and inclusive community and have a long history of supporting students in those moments that matter while studying in Australia,” Ms Fennell said.  

Allianz Partners partnered with Foodbank Australia, the nation’s largest food relief organisation, to tackle this issue.  

Foodbank Australia Chief Executive Officer Brianna Casey AM said Australia is a popular place to study but visiting students were facing mounting challenges as the cost of living continued to soar. 

“We know the number one reason Australian households struggled to meet their food needs is the cost of living crisis1, and it is no different for international students studying in this country,” Ms Casey said. 

“Many are a long way from home and don’t have that support network in place to ensure they have access to healthy food options on a regular basis. We know that many Australians who need help, aren’t seeking help, because they may be too embarrassed to reach out or they feel someone deserves it more,” Ms Casey said. 

In July, Allianz Partners and Foodbank Australia launched the first international student food market at UNSW, one of eight activations at university campuses across  

Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. The partnership will provide essential food supplies and raise awareness about the diverse faces of food insecurity. 

The markets will offer access to a variety of nutritious offerings including fresh fruit and vegetables and pantry products. Each student will be able to access a number of nutritious food products at no cost.  

By shining a light on the hidden struggle of international students facing food insecurity, Foodbank Australia and Allianz Partners hope to raise awareness about the diverse faces of food insecurity and encourage dialogue and support for international students. 

MARKET DATES AND LOCATIONS
August 27 – University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus, Brisbane 
September 12 – Holmesglen Institute, Chadstone Campus, Melbourne
October 3 – Monash University, Clayton Campus, Melbourne
October 10 – James Cook University, Townsville
October 23 – Australian National University, Acton Campus, Canberra  

Community Partner Story Access Street Vans

It’s special to experience a moment of clarity as to your life direction and purpose. That’s exactly what Pastor Russell experienced in 1993 when visiting Bath, England. While there, Pastor Russell came across a woman who needed help. Speaking with her, Pastor Russell had an epiphany and recognised his
calling in life, helping others.

For the past 25 years, Pastor Russell and his wife Betty have been doing precisely that with Access Street Vans. Located in Mansfield, Access Street Vans stands as a beacon of hope and compassion. As a Member Charity of Foodbank Queensland, Access Street Vans dedicates its efforts to providing food relief and encouragement to those in need.

Picture this: everyday Queenslanders just like you, your family, or your friends, facing tough times. They’re cold, hungry, and scared, seeking refuge wherever they can find it. But thanks to Access Street Vans, help is on the way.

Access Street Vans serve as a lifeline for individuals and families facing food insecurity across Brisbane. Their goal is simple yet impactful: to help turn people’s lives around for the better.

Each week, the Access Street Vans team drives vans out to different parts of Brisbane and shares meals and prayers with those in need. Every Wednesday, their successful ‘Adopt-a-Pensioner’ program is run to support 20 to 30 individuals with food parcels. This program’s goal is to bring hope and dignity to Queensland’s older generation. All of this is provided free of cost.

The need for organisations like Access Street Vans is undeniable. From providing meals to those experiencing homelessness to supporting pensioners, their impact reaches far and wide.

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“We give the food out to anybody and everybody. Whatever religion they are, we have no limitations, everyone’s equal.” – Pastor Russell

Access Street Vans’ 20-year-old partnership with Foodbank Queensland strengthens their ability to make a difference. Through this collaboration, they gain access to essential groceries, enabling them to help even more people in need throughout Brisbane.

But Access Street Vans is more than just a provider of food. They represent the spirit of community and care. Volunteers and supporters play a crucial role in their mission, coming together to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others.

“It’s a privilege for me and my wife to do what we’re doing.” – Pastor Russell

Pastor Russell’s efforts and selfless actions were recognised in 2009 when he was awarded Brisbane Citizen of the Year. However, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. In 2019 they faced a setback when an Access Street Van was stolen from their Mansfield hub. Never to be returned, Pastor Russell, his wife, and volunteers rallied, determined to recover.

The sight of an Access Street Van navigating the streets of Brisbane serves as a reminder of how simple acts of kindness can transform people’s lives. So, the next time you see an Access Street Van in your neighbourhood, take a moment to reflect on the importance of their operations.

They are more than just vehicles delivering food; they are symbols of hope, unity, and the unwavering commitment to ensuring that no one in Brisbane goes hungry. As a member of Foodbank Queensland, Access Street Vans stands as a beacon of light in the fight against hunger.

If you are in a position to help Foodbank Queensland provide more food across the state to support Queenslanders in need, please consider joining the fight against hunger as a regular giver.