Brisbane Markets helps provide 590,400 meals to people facing hunger

Brisbane Markets Limited is one of Foodbank Queensland’s valued partners helping us supply nutritious food to hungry Queenslanders.

Working together, more than 328,000 kilograms of fresh food is collected by Foodbank Queensland at Brisbane Markets each year and distributed to Queenslanders in need. That’s the equivalent of more than 590,400 meals to help hungry Queenslanders put food on the table.

Luke Leeson, Communication Manager at Brisbane Markets, said as Queensland’s only central fruit and vegetable market, the Brisbane Produce Market was the state’s most important centre for the marketing and distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables.

“The Brisbane Markets forms a vital link in the supply chain between growers of fresh produce and over 800 registered buyers, including independent supermarkets, retailers, food processors, secondary wholesalers and the food service industry.”

“More than 700 million kilograms of fresh produce, valued at $2 billion, passes through the Brisbane Markets every year,” Luke said.

With the help of Brisbane Markets, many wholesalers donate to Foodbank Queensland, some of which have been donating for more than 15 years to help fight hunger across the state.

Foodbank Queensland Food Supply Manager, said Foodbank was proud to work with Brisbane Markets to rescue food, reduce waste, and fight hunger.

“Sadly, one in five people in our community, are in crisis at some point each year, dealing with the anguish and despair of not knowing where the next meal will come from. Every food donation, big or small, makes a very real difference to people suffering from hunger.”

“Donating surplus or imperfect food enables Brisbane Markets wholesalers to directly provide benefits to people who are living in disadvantaged circumstances whilst having a positive impact on the environment.”

Foodbank works closely with retailers, farmers and manufacturers throughout Australia who donate fresh, ambient, chilled and frozen food, as well as personal care and household items to support people in need.

Our wonderful food donors help us ensure that our shelves are never empty, and our Members can continue distributing food across Queensland to those who need it most. A big thank you to all of our food donors for your continued generosity.

If you’re in the food industry and are interested in becoming a food donor, please click here.

Harvest Rain Christian Care provides vital food relief across Ipswich region

Harvest Rain Christian Care is one of Foodbank Queensland’s 250 Member Charities focused on assisting disadvantaged people and people experiencing crisis from across the Ipswich and surrounding regions – primarily through the provision of food support.

The community charity’s support programs, which all operate from the Tivoli Drive In, assist approximately 60,000 people from across the Ipswich region.

Fred Muys, Harvest Rain Christian Care Executive Director, said he was grateful to have been receiving food from Foodbank Queensland since 2007 to help Harvest Rain Christian Care grow its vital food relief programs.

“We operate a Community Food Co-op which provides battlers with the opportunity to source groceries and other items for a nominal handling fee, plus options to receive free bakery, dairy and fresh produce,” Fred explains.

“We also operate a community kitchen which produces more than 2,500 wholesome pre-cooked and frozen meals every week for distribution to needy families – both through our own agency and through other charities and community groups across the region,” he said.

Their frozen meals project also supports unemployed youth by offering employment and work skills training opportunities in hospitality, where trainees work in a commercial grade kitchen to produce nutritious meals, from the food provided by Foodbank, to support people in need.

Since COVID-19, the team at Harvest Rain Christian Care have commenced a home delivery service to support the increasing number of people experiencing hardship, including the elderly and many who are unable to access support due to lockdowns and isolation.

Harvest Rain Christian Care is sadly just one of many food relief charities who have seen an increase in demand, with charities in Ipswich currently supporting, on average, double the number of people on a weekly basis, compared to February last year prior to COVID-19 lockdowns.

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.

If you are a Queensland charity, Foodbank Queensland membership is a great way to support your food relief projects, offering your organisation a reliable source of food and groceries all year round.

Ashley had to quickly find a way to feed
her four children.

A year marred by personal anguish, housing insecurity and the pandemic left Ashley and her four kids eating below the poverty line.

Supporting four kids, aged 8, 7, 5 and 2, has always been tough, but Ashley, 28, has managed to scrape by. Then last year, the young mum from Warwick faced a series of major challenges that turned her life upside down.

Sadly, Ashley’s relationship with her partner had broken down. He continued to live in the house but would not contribute, so Ashley had to cover food and bills for the family alone. Then the pandemic hit, and jobs dried up in Warwick. There was little chance of finding work. In a final blow, the house Ashley rented was sold and she had to move out – but there were no other homes in her budget.

“I’m a strong person and it takes a lot for me to get upset, but here I was trying to cover all food, bills, fuel and school costs on my own, with four kids under eight. There were times I’d have to borrow meat, milk or bread off people I knew, just to get us through. It was really hard.” – Ashley

To ensure her kids were fed, Ashley would do a careful fortnightly shop to stretch her money as far as she could. She knew healthy foods like fruit and vegetables were critical for her kids’ wellbeing, but with her changing circumstances, many staples were now out of reach. Things were so bad that Ashley’s two eldest kids would sometimes go to school with just an apple to eat. Ashley herself was meant to follow a special diet to manage Crohn’s disease, but she could not even afford the most basic of meals.

“Some nights, if there wasn’t enough dinner I would go without or have a sandwich after the kids went to bed.” – Ashley

Then one day, just before Christmas, things reached a new low. After paying her bills, Ashley discovered she had only $100 left to feed her family for the next two weeks.

In desperation, she went straight to her local church to ask for help. Thanks to generous people like you and Foodbank’s Member Charities, Ashley could be offered a Foodbank hamper in her crisis.

With so much going on, Ashley is overjoyed to know that in weeks when money is scarce, a Foodbank hamper can fill four young bellies. In it, she can find the staples to make a nutritious and filling spaghetti bolognaise, or a stir fry that she and all the kids enjoy.

“Right now, I am doing everything on my own and it’s hard to ask for help. When I did ask, Foodbank helped in a big way. Without that help, I’d still have to ask people I know to borrow food, so this has made a big difference – thank you.” – Ashley

Many regional towns like Warwick are still reeling from the economic effects of the pandemic, including joblessness and housing instability. For those families already eating close to the poverty line like Ashley’s, your support has never been more vital.

Your generosity will help families like Ashley’s receive the essential groceries they need to get back on their feet. Thank you for making a difference.

Every $1 you donate will provide two nutritious meals to someone facing hunger like Ashley.

Institute for Urban Indigenous Health provides vital support to South East Queensland Indigenous population

Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) is one of Foodbank Queensland’s 250 Member Charities providing vital support services to Queenslanders in need. IUIH was established in 2009 by the four Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Services in South East Queensland to provide for the health needs of Australia’s largest Indigenous population.

IUIH Nurse Supervisor Rebecca Edwards said emergency food relief, in the form of food hampers, is part of the ‘wrap around’ service they provide to families seeking support.

“By helping reduce the immediate worry of getting food on the table, we are able to free up space to work with families towards their other goals. One of our key principles in our program is self-efficacy, so in conjunction with providing food hampers, we also empower our families with nutritional and cooking education, budgeting, and meal planning,” she said.

Through their emergency food relief program, IUIH receives food from Foodbank to primarily support first-time mums having  Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander babies.

“The Australian Nurse-Family Partnership Program (ANFPP) is a nurse-led home visiting program which empowers and informs first-time Indigenous mums or mums whose partner is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and supports them to reach their personal goals and grow strong, healthy families. Our families access varying levels of support depending on their needs, including financial, social and housing support,” Rebecca said.

While visiting the team at IUIH, we had the pleasure of meeting Kaytana, one of the first-time mums receiving a hamper that day, and her 6-month-old son. Kaytana told us that her and her partner both lost their jobs during COVID-19, and with her partner being unable to access Government support, they have been struggling to afford life’s essentials ever since.

Kaytana was delighted to be receiving a hamper filled with food and groceries, including rice, pasta, sauces, canned vegetables, cereal, milk, personal care items and baby products.

“Thank you, Foodbank! As a mum struggling to afford food for my family, the Foodbank hampers help me so much,” Kaytana said.

IUIH Nurse Supervisor Rebecca said Foodbank allows IUIH to provide initial food stability to families like Kaytana’s, which enables IUIH to continue working with and supporting families in other aspects of their lives.

“We started using Foodbank in 2018 to support our clients and families, and it has been invaluable ever since,” Rebecca said.

If you are a Queensland charity, Foodbank Queensland membership is a great way to support your food relief projects, offering your organisation a reliable source of food and groceries all year round.

Foodbank volunteers power the fight against hunger

Foodbank Queensland would like to recognise and celebrate the significant contribution of our generous team of volunteers. Last year, 324 Foodbank Queensland volunteers dedicated over 15,500 hours to help Queenslanders experiencing hunger. During a year of devastating bushfires, drought, floods and then a global pandemic, our volunteers helped us to continue delivering Foodbank Queensland’s essential food relief services – from sorting food donations and packing food hampers, to driving Foodbank’s purple trucks to rescue and deliver food across Queensland to support people in crisis.

To the hundreds of generous volunteers donating their time and skills to Foodbank Queensland, thank you. You are a big part of why we continue to rescue and distribute enough food to support more than 48,000 Queenslanders per week.

Volunteer at Foodbank Queensland

We value diversity and believe everyone can make a difference. By joining the Foodbank Queensland team as a volunteer, you will make a direct and positive community impact – helping us to provide food for over 25 million meals every year.

Regardless of your skills or experience, there are plenty of ways you can get involved. From administration to warehouse work, and driving to customer service roles, so check out our volunteer opportunities and join us in the fight against hunger!