Feeding Australia, One Meal At A Time
Fifty years ago, Geoffrey Bolton published his ground-breaking history of the Great Depression. The book, A Fine Country to Starve In is widely regarded as a modern Australian classic, but its title could equally apply to contemporary Australia, one of the world’s richest countries. It’s staggering to learn, for instance, that one in five Australians experienced food insecurity in 2024 or that 700 schools in NSW and the ACT provide students with a free breakfast every day. Leading the fight against hunger in Australia is Foodbank, a tireless charity that supplies over 20 million free meals each year but is facing an increasing demand for its services.
[1] Foodbank chief executive for NSW & ACT John Robertson says things have escalated since COVID-19, with demand for its services rising by 40% since the end of the pandemic. Research suggests that the need for food relief in Australia is destined to increase dramatically over the next few years. “We're now seeing mums and dads who are working turning up looking for food support at the charities that we work with,” he said.
[2] “With the rising cost of living, more and more families are being forced to make choices between food or keeping a roof over their head, or fuel in the car to get to work." Research suggests that food insecurity in Australia has reached a critical point, with half of low-income households saying they have faced food insecurity in 2024 – a reflection of Australia’s cost-of-living crisis.
[3] More than half of food-insecure households in Australia are enduring the most severe level of hardship. This means they are often skipping meals, reducing portion sizes or even going entire days without eating.
How Foodbank Works Foodbank describes itself as “the pantry to the charity sector” in Australia and is, in fact, a highly sophisticated food collection and distribution system. The organisation works with the entire food industry including farmers, wholesalers, manufacturers and retailers to source produce. An army of Foodbank volunteers then picks, packs and distributes the food (much of it donated) to where it is needed, working with 2,400 charity partners across the country. The breakfast club program for schools is a growing area of demand.
Foodbank currently supplies 2,500 schools nationally with food but believes that many more schools will join the breakfast scheme over the next few months.
"We've had an absolute influx of schools, ranging from all different socio-demographics, reach out," says Foodbank community engagement coordinator Taylan Redden. "The demand in the last two or three months has been crazy."
Mr Redden says the school breakfast program was a priority for the charity because without adequate food children would struggle to learn at school.
[4] "We provide a full range of products including cereals, breads, spreads, fresh and canned fruit and veg," he said. "By supporting schools we're empowering them to make a difference and
help the children achieve their potential."
Facing Up To The Challenge
As running costs escalate, Foodbank is being forced to purchase larger quantities of food rather than rely on supplies of donated food from wholesalers, manufacturers, retailers and farmers.
Paying for food is just one of the many challenges facing the organisation, which must also meet rising energy bills, transport costs and other business expenses. Thankfully, the Australian public is willing to dig deep to support the work of Foodbank. A recent phone-in by ABC 702 in Sydney raised over $500,000 for the charity. The ABC Radio appeal raised over $1 million
across Australia.
[5] Foodbank estimates that it can provide two meals for every dollar donated, so these fund-raisers are very important. “So far, ABC Local Radio teams across Australia have raised an amazing
$1,095,736 (and counting),” said a spokesperson. “This incredible effort will allow Foodbank to distribute 2,072,446 meals to those in need, and $59,513 will go to Tasmanian families through the ABC Giving Tree Appeal.”
Foodbank’s John Robertson says continued public support is vital if the organisation is to continue providing free meals at the scale required – and to meet the expected surge in demand.
“Despite our best efforts, we estimate that we need 50% more food to provide enough for all the people seeking assistance,” he said.