Community Partner Story ADRA Logan Community Centre

Did you know that in the suburb of Logan Central, a simple food hamper goes beyond providing nourishment – it also brings empowerment?

As the cost-of-living crisis continues to soar, more families than ever are discovering the lifeline that a food hamper represents. A charity providing these vital lifelines is ADRA Community Centre in Logan Central.

Each week, over 200 hampers are provided to Queenslanders in need. Hampers are filled with essentials that families and individuals need to create nutritious and filling meals that silence the overwhelming noise of hunger. Essential groceries that help fill these hampers are collected from Foodbank Queensland. Brigita, Assistant Manager and Training Coordinator at ADRA Community Centre explained,

“We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without Foodbank. We get so much from Foodbank, it’s our main supplier. We love Foodbank.”– Brigita

This incredible partnership with ADRA Logan and Foodbank Queensland helps thousands of Queenslanders each year. As ADRA celebrates its 30^th year of operations, it’s important to recognise the countless lives the center has touched over the decades.

Brigita recounted a touching story of a woman in need who turned to ADRA Logan after being kicked out of her home by an abusive partner and left with nothing but a small suitcase. She turned to ADRA Logan as a lifeline.

“She had no food, no clothing, no nothing. Just a little bit of clothes that she was able to grab. So, we gave her food, we gave her a hamper, and I told her to keep coming back. About a month later she came back, and I opened the door, she said, ‘Remember me’? And she looked different because she wasn’t traumatised anymore, she looked happy.”– Brigita

The physical and mental change this woman found from a hamper of food and the connection between Brigita, ADRA Logan volunteers, and staff meant that this woman was able to get back on her feet. Today, she volunteers five days a week, because in her time of need, ADRA Logan was there for her, and now she is there for those experiencing similar situations.

“A lot of people that are volunteering here came first for food. And because they were helped, they now want to come and help somebody else.” – Brigita

Brigita shared her own incredible story of her time when volunteering at one of ADRA projects twelve years earlier. Food from Foodbank was cooked three nights a week for those homeless nearby, and Brigita volunteered as the cook. Brigita, who had previously fled from Bosnia during the war began chatting with a regular attendee.

“When I escaped the war, my father sent me out here, but my brother stayed in Bosnia and he died. Twelve years ago, I was serving the food there’s this guy…I see him all the time and one day I get talking to him.”

Brigita learned that this man had worked as a paramedic for UNICEF and visited war-torn countries, helping those in need. As a result, he has developed PTSD, making it difficult for him to interact with society.

“I realised he was exactly in the same town that my brother was in and at the same time. And he was a paramedic, so he could have been easily helping my brother. And I thought to myself, here’s a guy who didn’t have to go across the whole world to look after my family. And here he is saying to me, thank you for the meal. And there I am, saying that I should thank him for what he did 20 years before that.”– Brigita

The realisation that he had been in the same town as her brother highlighted the significance and reach of ADRA’s work. The importance of these programs and centres like ADRA Logan cannot be understated. ADRA Logan also provides emergency relief clothing and furniture through the on-site Op Shop. The centre also offers training in Certificate I Conservation and Ecosystem Management (CAEM) and Certificate I Hospitality. ADRA Logan not only helps with emergency relief but also extends its impact beyond its local community.

Under the Umbrella of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, ADRA Logan connects with other small churches across the state. As part of this connection, ADRA Logan teaches these churches to open their own pantries for their communities. This is all a part of their purpose, as Brigita explains, “That’s our mission so that people can have a pantry, in their own little community, within 15kms.”

With the support of Foodbank Queensland, it’s hoped that this mission is one day realised, as every Queenslander deserves access to nutritious food.

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.

Community Partner Story Lighthouse Care

For two decades, Lighthouse Care has been a valued Foodbank Member Charity, serving as an essential pillar within the Loganholme and Hillcrest communities. Founded by the Hill family, Lighthouse Care was sparked by Debbie Hill’s personal experience during a challenging period:

“My eyes were opened to a different world, and I said to my husband, we’re just going to give our lives to bring you hope. It was as simple as giving bread out of a van, and we just hoped to find three or four families that we could bring some hope to.”

Since 2004, that is exactly what Debbie, her husband Ron, and their children have been doing through Lighthouse Care. Starting from humble beginnings but eager to create a positive impact in the community, the Hill family began dedicating their time to delivering bread to those in need. This gradually expanded to include drinks and produce. As the demand increased, they moved the operations to a home living room and garage in Eagleby, creating a welcoming space for people to join Debbie and her family for a coffee. When the lease on the home ran out, Lighthouse Care needed a new space. Word got out about the wonderful work the Hill family was doing for families in need,

“We received a phone call from a local newspaper, and they did a front-page story of the work we were doing. And we got a call from PCYC saying you must keep going we’ll give you a small car garage and a cold room. And we started there, helping 30 families a week and within three years we were helping 300 a week.” – Debbie

By 2009, the operation required a large expansion to meet the increasing demand. This saw Lighthouse Care find its official home and own store where it currently operates from today. The store operates as your typical grocery market with a commercial fit-out and even online shopping, with click-and-collect or home delivery available to Logan, Brisbane, Ipswich, Bayside and the Gold Coast. All food is either heavily discounted or free to help struggling families make ends meet.

In 2023, Lighthouse Care supported, “75,000 families a year. We’ve also got our outlet in Hillcrest as well,” Debbie explained. Lighthouse Care’s incredible ability to support so many families is because of the hard work the Hill family and their team have put into the store and operations.

A big draw to many who know of Lighthouse Care is their $25 trolley, currently, they sell around 800 per week. The $25 trolley is full of groceries and essentials. Lighthouse Care also offers the ‘The Free Trolley Initiative’. This is a trolley that is available for struggling families who are in desperate need of assistance or are in emergencies.

Since 2004, Debbie, her family, and the Lighthouse Care team have continued to see the demand rise as the cost-of-living increases. Those who typically have never required assistance are now reaching out for help, as Debbie said,

“There was a lady parked out here one day in a lovely BMW car. She had white leather seats in the back and beautiful jewellery and makeup and she looked amazing. But she walked out of the car, and I just felt compelled to say, “I’d love to give you one of our trolleys today”. She burst into tears and just cried and cried and she said, “You’ll never know what that means to me”. So, whether it’s that person walking in here, whether someone who may be homeless. Everybody’s treated with dignity. That’s our core value.”

The above story is an example of Lighthouse Care’s ability and mission of, ‘Making lives better so that together we can make the world better’. Lighthouse Care’s transformation from a small family operation to the incredible locations and operations today is a testament to the need for their services. With Foodbank Queensland’s assistance, Lighthouse Care has been able to create a place of hope, support, and encouragement so people’s lives can be transformed.

“To everybody that donates to Foodbank, I just want to give huge thanks, because you are making a far bigger impact in our community than what you realise. For me, I’m the one that gets the thanks. I’m the one that sees the tears. I’m the one that gets to give the hope that you don’t get to see. I just want to say that you’re changing lives every day and if you have the capacity. You should donate to Foodbank.”

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.

Community Partner Story Indooroopilly Uniting Church

It’s difficult to imagine being forced to leave your home country. But this is the reality for many asylum seekers and refugees who are left with no choice. They are faced with seeking safety and starting a new life in a new country, where they don’t know the language and have no support systems in place. Imagine being hungry on top of this. Could you survive?

Indooroopilly Uniting Church Asylum Seeker and Refugee Support Hub provides vital services these vulnerable families and individuals need. Founded on the values of inclusivity and compassion, the Church’s Asylum Seeker and Refugee Support Hub serves as part of a support network for asylum seekers and refugees at risk of becoming homeless and unlawful.

Among its services, Indooroopilly Uniting Church provides clerical and administrative support – form-filling sessions – that assists refugees and asylum seekers and offers referrals to legal, housing, mental and physical health, and employment support services.

Working with Foodbank Queensland, the Hub supplies supplementary food and toiletries to assist in meeting the needs of this vulnerable community. Starting as a small initiative, the services have expanded to address the community’s increasing needs. Malcolm, Indooroopilly Uniting Church Hub Manager explained,

“The provision of food to people of a refugee background started as a very small pantry out at the front of the church. Church members had been going to Foodbank for a couple of years before that, supporting the wider community.” – Malcolm

Today, this pantry provides support to those in need, not only refugees but also to the homeless and unemployed. The demand for groceries increased when the Church shifted its focus to assist refugees and asylum seekers facing hardship.

“We started the targeted refugee work in around 2014, and it was initially some simple help with form filling. At that time, people who had recently been released from immigration detention were settled in the Indooroopilly area, but not allowed to work, so they had no source of income. So, the Church began to access more groceries through Foodbank to assist.”

As a result, the Church relocated the food pantry to a larger space to assist more families and individuals. Today, the Hub dedicates two afternoons per week to helping refugees and asylum seekers with food welfare and other support.

To provide access to a wider range of support services as a “one-stop-shop”, Indooroopilly Uniting Church is a part of a consortium called ASRA (Asylum Seeker and Refugee Assistance). This is a Queensland Government-funded program, coordinated by Communify Queensland, that assists people seeking asylum and refugees on short term visas who arrived by boat. Without the assistance of these vital programs, this disadvantaged group would face impossible and dangerous situations.

“Many of the people we support are on short term visas – some only for a few weeks or months. If you don’t have a permanent visa, you can’t get meaningful work to support yourself and your family.” – Malcolm

Many of these refugees and asylum seekers are facing impossible decisions after already experiencing persecution and discrimination in their own country. Malcolm described the situation of an archaeologist who was persecuted after questioning the lack of government funding for important antiquity sites. As a result, he and his family chose to flee and seek refuge in Australia. This is one example of the variety of individuals and families that seek and receive support at the Church’s Hub. While the food pantry is only one of the services the Hub provides, it provides food relief that Foodbank Queensland helps support.

“Foodbank has really been wonderful. As the Hub did during COVID, Foodbank is open through thick and thin. You do what you can because people still need to eat and so it’s been a great support for our work.” – Malcolm

With Foodbank Queensland’s support in providing groceries, the Hub can focus its donated resources on trying to provide these disadvantaged and vulnerable asylum seekers and refugees with the other tools they need to survive. Without this, these farmers, fishers, doctors, lawyers, teachers, mothers and grandmothers, and ultimately people just like us, would continue to fight an uphill battle without any support.

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.

Community Partner Story

Belong Community Centre

For over two decades, Belong at Acacia Ridge has been providing a safe and welcoming centre, offering a space where individuals can feel comfortable accessing essential support. Supported by Communify, Belong is part of a network that includes several community centers across Brisbane that are working together to empower and support Brisbane residents.

The Belong Community Centre provides many services and programs to Brisbane South Side residents, including the Food Co-op, Emergency Relief, Skilling Office and Programs, Community Support Worker and the community navigator program, English and citizenship classes, free community lunches and community art classes. In addition to community events such as Party in the Park or RSPCA People and Pets Day.

Neighbourhood Centre Coordinator Miranda and Support Worker Trish are part of the incredible team at Belong. Miranda has been working in Neighbourhood centers since the 90s and has a passion for creating spaces for the community to connect and receive assistance. Trish’s motivation stems from a very personal connection with Belong, as she explained:

“I started here as a client and I got some help and then I started volunteering, then I did their business admin course through Skilling Queenslanders for Work, and then they offered me a job at reception. That was 7 years ago. So, I really believe in these places because of my own experiences.”– Trish

The Skilling Queensland for Work program, vital in assisting community members like Trish, goes beyond training. Kylie, the Coordinator, emphasises its role in creating connections and providing holistic support:

“Everyone comes together and connects and it’s not just about the services, it’s also about the connection with each other. It crosses over too, sometimes we have participants who need assistance so they’ll be referred to our Food Co-Op… so we can help them to keep them in the training so then they can go on and get the job. Get back on your feet and in a position where you can support yourself.”

Another large part of helping community members get back on their feet is the Food Co-Op which is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. In the last financial year, it provided a staggering 26.7 tonnes of food relief, serving over 4,935 individuals. However, the demand has surged, with daily visitors increasing significantly, a trend Miranda observes:

“The demand is increasing, so I think we were getting maybe about 25 people a day, 12 months ago, and now we’re getting around 50 people a day.”

Those visiting the Food Co-Op include those who typically never have had to as Trish commented:

“The need for food has grown exponentially. One thing we’ve really noticed is that we have couples coming in who both work, and are still needing food assistance, so the increase in electricity and the rent increase, people just aren’t making it from week to week.” – Trish

The Food Co-Op couldn’t operate without the assistance of the incredible volunteers who assist with the pickup of food from Foodbank and other food rescue organisations, restocking of shelves, packaging fruit, and vegetables, and helping run the Co-Op.

The Co-Op operates on a raffle system, a volunteer takes each individual’s name for the draw. After this, names are randomly drawn to determine the order of who can access the Food Co-Op, as the limit is 2-3 people at a time. This also assists the volunteers and workers in ensuring everyone has access to food and no one goes without.

This welcoming space embraces individuals from diverse backgrounds, including asylum seekers and refugees. Miranda highlights the trauma associated with food scarcity faced by some clients, stemming from years spent in refugee camps:

“We’ve got people here who have spent 16-18 years in refugee camps, and they come here, and they get panic-stricken about food. It’s a trauma response around food because maybe tomorrow there will be no food. They’re not being greedy, they just want as much as they can get because they did not have access to fresh food.”

Staff and volunteers navigate this sensitively, aiming to provide a safe haven. Trish explained the fight or flight instinct over food:

“When you’re in survival mode you can’t blossom, you can’t grow, every day it’s a fight just to exist. Foodbank is giving organisations like Belong the opportunity to help people have a little bit of freedom.” – Trish

Miranda underscores the crucial role of Foodbank and our donors, emphasising how access to food enables Belong service users to fulfill basic needs and take significant strides forward in their lives.

“We couldn’t really operate without the donors of Foodbank and being able to access the food for people and how essential food is really. Without food people can’t move on, they can’t do training, they can’t do anything because they’re just focused on their basic needs, so it allows people to take that next step.” – Miranda

Belong stands as more than a centre—it’s a sanctuary, where individuals find the support, resources, and understanding they need to truly Belong.

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.

Turns out food is Love, Actually

As a parent, your reason for being is making sure your kids have all their needs met, particularly the most basic ones, like healthy, nutritious food.

Leileene, who has two primary school aged kids, was living with the fear of not being able to do this loving thing.

Growing up in an environment where people didn’t ask for help, she was expected to be strong and create a ‘picture perfect’ image. So, when things got rough the thought of reaching out was terrifying.

An invite to a Foodbank market held in the lead up to Christmas at her kid’s school (in partnership with our bestie Chobani), felt for Leileene like the first time it might be okay to accept some help.

“I was in shock at the variety of fresh produce on offer. My kids kept asking ‘what does it cost?’ I’ve never seen them so excited to have fresh veggies in the fridge before! Foodbank has helped my family through tough times and I’m extremely grateful that my kids have been able to see that there is still so much good in the world.”

With YOUR help, our Christmas Appeal put 5.3 MILLION beautiful, healthy meals into the hands of Victorians

Feeding 57,000 people a day takes more than a village. In the lead up to Christmas, we saw demand reach epic proportions, with dual income families all over the state struggling to afford food let alone Christmassy treats.

We knew that working people couldn’t get to charities during business hours.

Thanks to thousands of generous people like YOU, Foodbank set up special Christmas markets in the north, south, east and west of Melbourne so all those hard-working people could pick up whatever they needed to feed their families without stress.

More than 1,000 families filled their bags and baskets with farm fresh veggies and fruit along with essential staples like bread, milk, pasta and rice…enough for 50,000 meals plus a few little extra treats which brought out the smiles.

Foodbank staff member Daniel holding hampers at a market

Santa looking at a queue of people waiting for free food at a Christmas market

Two Foodbank volunteers at a Foodbank Christmas market

The markets were just one part of a huge, whole effort delivered hand in hand with our 500 charity partners, 1,000 schools and YOU.

Together we made sure all those humble, hardworking families around Victoria weren’t forgotten. As if we’d ever let that happen!

Over the food rainbow with you

Since the bushfires of 2019, Victorians have had zero time to reflect and slow down. Here at Foodbank, we’re focused on how to help everyone get back to living their lives again, beyond simply making it through to the end of each day.

We’ve given ourselves a big mission. To learn how communities have been impacted over the last four years and understand how we might better respond to that. We call this our ‘Neighbourhood Assessments’ (yep – it has Sesame Street vibes).

Our team is currently getting to know all 79 local government ‘neighbourhoods’ in Vic, listening to people of every age and situation, as well as seeking out the food data that underpins their stories.

By ‘data’ we mean “who needs what” and “where are the gaps.” Sure, it will take time – there are no shortcuts. But with these insights, we’re creating community food programs that give everyone agency and power where they live.

Girl eating rice paper roll in Foodbank cooking class

Charity receiving a food hamper from Foodbank

These programs celebrate and support community through food. Growing food, social enterprises, learning and sharing how to cook, socialising in our cafes, and providing healthy food options through our social supermarkets.

We want people who are trying to get through life on the basics to be able to enjoy what food can provide – a healthy body, healthy mind and social connection. To move from a situation of just surviving to absolutely thriving!!

A food fight for Foodbank. No really, we’re not kidding!

Yes. Kids across Victoria are flinging food* to fundraise for Foodbank (phew… try saying that three times fast)!

*No ACTUAL food has been harmed of course. This term, more than 135 schools are piffing and sloshing fake food as they take part in our brand new, feelgood fundraising day called Food Fight.

There’s nothing like mess, fun and slime to get kids excited about raising funds for a good cause!

Know a school that would want to get involved?

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.

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 orchard

A group of Fruit Loop participants in the orchard

Fruit Loop participant picking an apple from a tree

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!

Community Partner Story ADRA Logan Community Centre

Community Partner Story Lighthouse Care

Community Partner Story Indooroopilly Uniting Church

Community Partner Story

Belong Community Centre

Turns out food is Love, Actually

More articles below

Become a Corporate Volunteer

How your Christmas donation went to work

Over the food rainbow with you

With YOUR help, our Christmas Appeal put 5.3 MILLION beautiful, healthy meals into the hands of Victorians

More articles below

Turns out food is Love, Actually

Become a Corporate Volunteer angel

Join the messiest school fundraiser

Over the food rainbow with you

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Turns out food is Love, Actually

Become a Corporate Volunteer

How your donations are put to work

A food fight for Foodbank. No really, we’re not kidding!

Know a school that would want to get involved?

More articles below

Turns out food is Love, Actually

Become a Corporate Volunteer angel

Over the food rainbow with you

An orchard full of sweetness

More articles below

Become a Corporate Volunteer angel

Turns out food is Love, Actually

Over the food rainbow with you

When towns lost connection, food got through because of you

More articles below

Turns out food is Love, Actually

Become a Corporate Volunteer angel

Over the food rainbow with you