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Foodbank Queensland warns of 6 million-meal shortfall as food donations fall and demand surges
Foodbank Queensland, the state’s largest hunger relief charity, is warning it will fall short of providing six million meals this financial year, leaving thousands of families at risk of missing out on essential food support in the months ahead.
The charity, which has supported Queenslanders for more than 30 years, is on track to distribute around 10 million kilograms of food this year – 3 million kilograms less than planned – due to a significant decline in food donations and the impacts of rising costs of fuel and freight.
Foodbank Queensland interim CEO Brett Kapernick said its annual Winter Appeal will be brought forward as a Crisis Appeal to help ensure no Queenslander goes without.
Concerningly, this 23 per cent food shortfall comes at a time when demand for food relief continues to rise across the state.
New data from the national Foodbank Ipsos Issues Monitor Omnibus Study shows cost-of-living pressure is intensifying with more than half of Queenslanders (54%) surveyed in April said they are finding it harder to put food on the table.
Mr Kapernick said the gap between increasing demand and falling supply is being driven by rising costs and changes across the food system that are reducing surplus food. This year alone saw:
• Higher food, fuel and freight costs squeezing farmers and producers resulting in less surplus food available to donate.
• Extreme weather events, including Cyclone Alfred in March 2025, disrupting growing seasons and reducing fresh farm donations particularly across regional Queensland.
• Improvements in technology and efficiency meaning manufacturers and retailers are producing less excess stock, reducing donations to Foodbank.
He said the organisation was seeing a reality it had never faced at this scale in its 30-year history.
“We’re stretching every dollar and every donation to keep food moving across Queensland, but we need all the support we can get right now,” he said.
“The reality is that we’re heading toward a gap of more than six million meals, with each meal weighing approximately 500 grams. That means thousands of families won’t receive support from Foodbank.
“Families are doing everything they can. We’re seeing more parents skip meals so their kids can eat and more families turning to food relief for the first time.
“More and more Queensland families are being forced to choose between rent, power, fuel and food.”.
Mr Kapernick said Foodbank Queensland is managing significant cost pressures and is reviewing its operations to protect frontline supply and keep priority programs, including providing breakfast to school students across the state.
Despite the downturn in donated food, Foodbank Queensland honoured its 2025 commitment to expand its School Breakfast Program from 400 to 500 schools this year, with a focus on regional and remote communities where child hunger rates are highest.
Much of this support is enabled by Foodbank’s ability to purchase essential items through national buying power, reducing reliance on donated supply.
“We’ve made it clear that support for children must not go backwards, because hungry kids can’t learn,” Mr Kapernick said.
Foodbank Queensland is calling on food producers, government and philanthropic funders to work with the charity on planned, consistent support, including regular product commitments, transport assistance and funding to purchase essential staples when donations cannot meet need. It also is urging Queenslanders, who can, to donate to the Crisis Appeal to help fund the purchase and delivery of essential food items.
“If Queensland is serious about tackling hunger, we need planned supply, funding and logistics to back us otherwise thousands of families will go without the support they rely on,” Mr Kapernick said.
How to help today:
Foodbank Queensland has launched a Crisis Appeal to help source more food for families, cover freight costs to move food to regional Queensland, and to ensure no Queenslander goes without. To support Foodbank Queensland visit: foodbank.org.au/qld
MEDIA CONTACT
Liliana Molina, Elevate Communication at liliana@elevatecom.com.au or 0413 536 470