Serious illness leaves single dad Trent struggling to feed his young kids.

Single father Trent has three young children under eight to feed: Evie, Finn, and Georgie.

When Trent and his partner separated, they had shared custody of their children. But two years ago, when the kids were no longer safe to stay with their mother, due to her substance abuse and violence, Trent took sole custody.

Raising three kids on your own is never easy, but Trent is also battling a serious illness and struggles to meet the family’s medical costs and living expenses, which continue to rise as the kids get older. He can hardly afford to put food on the table.

“I feel like such a failure. Even though I’m doing everything I can to give my kids the best life possible. But with my disability and being a single dad that relies on government support, it’s honestly tough to make ends meet.” – Trent

Trent loves his kids and is trying his best… but week after week, he’s found it difficult just to afford enough food to put on the table.

“I’ve had to tighten up the budget, I can’t do it anymore. The kids were used to getting their little treats, but now they get sad because I can’t afford them… They do understand a little bit, though.”

After years of struggling to make ends meet, Trent reached out to one of Foodbank Queensland’s local Member Charities.

“Receiving a Foodbank Hamper is awesome. I was overwhelmed by how much was in them… it made a really good impact in our life.”

Trent now has more energy to play with his kids and can help them learn to enjoy veggies and other nutritious ingredients.

“Because of the hampers, Evie eats her veggies now. I have to mash it all up into a big, mashed pile, like mashed potato and all that, but she eats her vegetables!”

With the certainty of fresh fruit and vegetables and essential groceries in the pantry, Trent can afford to pay for other living expenses and can sometimes buy those little extras that mean so much to Evie, Finn, and Georgie.

“Thanks to Foodbank, I’ve realised it’s okay to ask for help… especially for single mums, single dads, grandparents. There are so many less fortunate people out there, that do need help. Every single little donation to Foodbank all helps out in the end.” – Trent

Trent’s family is just one of many in Queensland struggling to find enough to eat right now.

Your generosity will help families like Trent’s receive the essential groceries they need to get back on their feet.

Every $1 you donate will provide two nutritious meals to a family doing it tough. Thank you for making a difference.

Lockyer Valley Community Provides Vital Support To People In Need

Many Queenslanders are dealing with the anguish and despair of not knowing where their next meal will come from, with regional communities like Lockyer Valley having been hit hard by job losses, business closures and lockdowns.

However, the Lockyer Valley community are working together, from local breakfast clubs to bulk food donations, to ensure struggling families receive the support they need to get back on their feet.

The impacts of COVID-19 have placed extreme pressures on families, and with many children going to school without breakfast or lunch, Foodbank’s School Breakfast Program is vital.

In the Lockyer Valley Region, Foodbank Queensland currently provides fresh fruit, bread, milk and cereal to 10 schools.

With the support of our local Member Charity, ADRA Lockyer Food Pantry Gatton, these schools can run breakfast clubs all year round to help ensure children receive the healthy breakfasts they need to grow, learn and thrive.

Doug Espie, Lockyer District State High School Chaplain said “Our school has been incredibly blessed by the work of Foodbank. Each week we provide breakfast for hundreds of students who may otherwise miss out. The need is significant, and the difference is tangible. We can’t thank you enough for the simple yet powerful difference that Foodbank has made to our school.”

Our mission is to make sure that all Queensland children, regardless of their circumstances, have an equal start in life. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it sets children up to concentrate, learn and be at their best. That’s why Foodbank Queensland works closely with schools like Lockyer District State School to provide more than 3.3 million school breakfast meals across the state every year. 

Foodbank Queensland is working tirelessly to get food out to schools and front-line charities across the state, but we couldn’t do it without the support of our generous Food Donors.  

For over 10 years, local farmers from the Lockyer Valley Region have generously donated fresh fruit and vegetables, including lettuce, tomato, potato, pumpkin, garlic, cabbage, carrot, turnip, onion, and broccoli, to Foodbank Queensland to help people in need. 

Bob McMillan, Foodbank Queensland Food Supply Manager, said Foodbank was proud to work with growers in the Lockyer Valley to rescue food, reduce waste and fight hunger.  

“Since this time last year, our Food Donors in the Lockyer Valley region have donated enough food to help us distribute 578,000 meals to people in need across Queensland. 

“With many growers across Queensland having been impacted by the events of last year, this is an incredibly generous donation that has gone a long way to helping Queenslanders in crisis,” Bob said 

Together we can help our friends and neighbours who are struggling to make ends meet. 

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

To learn more about Foodbank’s School Breakfast Program, click here. 

Hands and Feet joins Foodbank in the fight against hunger in Brisbane

Hands and Feet is one of Foodbank Queensland’s 300 Member Charities providing essential groceries to support people in need.  

After recently opening its first food relief service in Brisbane and partnering with Foodbank in March 2021, Hands and Feet is now helping approximately 90 people every week with free food and groceries and continues to expand its outreach to more communities across Brisbane.  

Every week, Hands and Feet distributes food to local churches that offer food assistance from their premises. The churches choose a day and time that suits them best and arrange for a number of their volunteers to help distribute the food. 

David Graham, Hands and Feet Brisbane Manager, said people in need were freely offered a small box or bag with a variety of food and essentials to take home. 

“We help anyone that is doing it tough and needing some help to have something to eat,” David said. 

“One Mum recently told us that she struggles to find sufficient nutritious food for her family of eight children and was incredibly grateful to have access to support on weeks when she couldn’t make ends meet. 

“The food from Foodbank makes up between 65% and 70% of the food we are able to give out to help Queenslanders doing it tough. 

“Thank you Foodbank Queensland for partnering with Hands and Feet and making it possible for us to support Queensland families that need help.” 

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.

Jeanette was surviving on her children’s leftover food scraps.

Jeanette was a stay-at-home mum, living a comfortable middle-class lifestyle in Logan, when everything changed overnight. Very soon, Jeanette was terrified and unwell. She was going hungry.  

Mum-of-four Jeanette and her partner owned a thriving martial arts business. They never had to struggle. Then, one day, Jeanette’s partner unexpectedly said he was leaving for another woman. He froze her out of their business and took all the money from their shared account.  

Having spent the last decade as a full-time parent, Jeanette had limited job training and prospects. Her ex was now refusing to pay child support. She had no idea how she would provide for her four children, ages from 7 to 20, completely on her own.  

“My children were devastated. They didn’t understand. We had to give our family dog away because we couldn’t afford to feed him. It was the worst feeling.” – Jeanette  

Jeanette’s rent combined with car loan repayments was more than she could afford, but she had no choice. Then the family received more terrible news. Her eight-year-old son, Patterson, was diagnosed with a rare cancer. He needed several months of life-saving treatment. It was a heartbreaking, overwhelming time, made worse as Jeanette struggled to feed her family.  

To keep dinner on the table, Jeanette would carefully plan her shopping list, to the last cent. She’d always served her kids fruit and vegetables. But her low single income did not cover the healthy foods growing kids need. “Dinner was usually built around frozen vegetables and two-minute noodles.” – Jeanette 

So that her kids didn’t go hungry, Jeanette would go without proper meals, often for a week at a time. She’d try to hide her hunger – especially from her children.  

“I’d have swigs of milk, a slice of bread, or drink lots of water to stay full. Whatever the kids didn’t eat after dinner, if there were peas or anything on their plates, I’d just scoff them down. I was sick and depressed.”   – Jeanette 

At the scariest time in her life, Jeanette got thrown a lifeline. A friend who knew her struggles said that a Foodbank Member Charity could provide her with food essentials. “From that moment, I felt this huge relief: I knew I would eat that night,” she says.  

Because of Foodbank supporters like you, later that day Jeanette went home with a box of fruit and vegetables, cheese, butter, canned goods, pasta, and even some sausages.  

“The kids thought it was Christmas! From that moment, I felt this huge relief. I knew we would eat well that night. Over the next 18 months, I was grateful to receive Foodbank’s support while I got back on my feet. I could make good home-cooked meals for my kids, like tuna mornay and apricot chicken.” – Jeanette 

Something relatively simple – but vital – like having regular meals was life-changing for Jeanette. Soon, her physical and mental health improved with proper nutrition. She gained strength and determination to study and worked towards a new career. Today she is making a difference as a Carer, to people with major spinal injuries. In some more great news, Patterson is in remission from cancer and Jeanette can afford to feed him healthy food that keeps him feeling great.  

“Being able to eat properly is one of the most important things in life. Support from Foodbank meant I could put time and money aside to study for a career that lets me support my family. Today I can focus on being a positive parent and moving forward with my career. If my children see me doing that, they will want the same.” – Jeanette 

In a touching end to a very tough time, Jeanette’ family has also gained a wriggly, furry family member. Their dog Kobe is a source of joy. He reminds Jeanette how far she has come since she couldn’t afford to feed herself, let alone a pet. 

“I’ve always wanted to say thank you to Foodbank supporters for playing a big role in my journey. Many single parents know what it’s like to go hungry like I did to keep their children fed. If it wasn’t for Foodbank I don’t know how I could have kept going.” – Jeanette 

Your generosity will help families like Jeanette’s receive the essential groceries they need to get back on their feet.  

Every $1 you donate will provide two nutritious meals to someone facing hunger like Jeanette. Thank you for making a difference. 

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!