Food relief for vulnerable Australians

Dear Supporters,

We hope you’re staying safe. 

Thank you for your support! Your donations of over AUD$2,000 in the last quarter enabled Foodbank to provide over 4,000 meals to those in need across Australia. Sincerely, thank you for your generosity. 

Foodbank has faced a surge in demand for food relief in recent months as a result of recurring lockdowns across the country, particularly in New South Wales and Victoria. These levels of restriction have had an impact on businesses and people's ability to earn an income, leaving many people unable to provide for their families. To illustrate, Foodbank has seen a 200% increase in demand for food relief in NSW alone, with over 20,000 requests for food hampers made by international students since the lockdowns began. 

Moreover, the social and health impacts of COVID19 have not gone unfelt. One in five Australians are reporting high levels of psychological distress linked to the COVID19 pandemic, with young people, women, and those living with disabilities being the most affected. Additionally, a report issued by the Australian Council for Social Services (ACOSS) showed that online searches in NSW for emergency relief services on Ask Izzy (a search engine that provides information on mental health, housing, food, health, domestic and family violence services and more) increased by more than 800% between June 26 and July 14, 2021, once again highlighting the profound impacts of lockdown on communities.

Hunger is a growing stressor in the midst of these challenges. Foodbank is working around the clock to help reduce this stressor on families and individuals, and that food insecure Australians have access to the relief they require while developing their responses to do their best to manage an uncertain future.

On a brighter note, in certain states such as New South Wales, lockdown and restrictions are scheduled to ease in a few weeks from now, with some free movements granted to people. We hope that those impacted by lockdowns, such as those in the hospitality, recreation and events, retail, construction, and beauty industries, will be able to return to work.

Moreover, on Wednesday 20^th October, Foodbank will be releasing the Foodbank Hunger Report 2021. Now in its ninth year, this report is considered to be the definitive source on the hunger crisis in Australia. Foodbank will launch an awareness-raising campaign on social media in the coming week to draw attention to the report and the growing hunger crisis it exposes. Please do follow us on socials at this time to learn more!

Once again, on behalf of the Foodbank family, we sincerely thank you for your support and the impact made possible through your generosity. We look forward to working with you further in our fight against hunger.

Warm Regards,

Foodbank Australia Family

Firstly, thank you for supporting Foodbank.

This is an extremely difficult time for us in Australia.

The Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically increased the demand for food relief as varying degrees of lockdowns and restrictions have happened around the nation, causing businesses to close and people losing their ability to earn an income. For example, in July, when South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales were experiencing lockdowns, there were 13.7 million people (more than half of the population of Australia) in lockdown areas. While South Australia and Victoria are no longer under lockdown, the NSW outbreak has been declared a national emergency, and their lockdown has been extended for another four weeks, bringing the total lockdown for affected residents to two months.

While the lockdowns are necessary to protect people's health, many people's income has unexpectedly dropped to zero. The government's COVID Disaster Payment was only recently made available to people who have lost their jobs and are receiving government assistance. As a result, people are struggling. While the restrictions and lockdowns have increased demand, they have also disrupted supply. Foodbank is collaborating with charity partners and adjusting daily operations to ensure that food reaches those in need as efficiently as possible.

To give you an idea, Foodbank has seen a 37.5 percent increase in food distribution in NSW over the last five weeks. Foodbank is now processing as many hampers per day as they did in a week prior to the lockdown, providing 2,500 – 3,500 emergency relief hampers per day, with over 12,100 emergency relief hampers distributed to lockdown areas throughout Greater Sydney and NSW.

Moreover, on July 23, 2021, the Australian Council for Social Services (ACOSS) issued a report highlighting the effects of the lockdown on financial distress and food relief. According to the report, online searches in NSW for emergency relief services on Ask Izzy (a search engine which provides information on housing, food, health, government support, domestic and family violence services and more) increased by more than 800 percent between June 26 and July 14, 2021, highlighting the profound impacts of lockdown on communities.

The need to alleviate hunger is an ever-increasing demand, with 13.6 percent of Australians currently living below the poverty line and facing growing financial hardship as a result of current lockdowns and the ongoing effects of COVID19.

Foodbank will continue to bulk purchase and prepare for ongoing influxes of demand for food relief in the coming months. We know from experience that during crises like these, the long-term recovery phase is just as important as addressing the immediate need; Foodbank will ensure that those in need have access to food and groceries for as long as they require it.

Once again, we sincerely thank you for your support and the impact made possible through your generosity on behalf of the Foodbank family. We look forward to working with you further in our fight against hunger.

For more information, please visit  https://www.foodbank.org.au/?state=au

Warm Regards,

Foodbank Australia Family

Dear Supporters,

Happy Easter!

I hope you all were able to have a break and gather with your family and/or friends in person or virtually.

In Australia, the Federal Government recently declared a state of natural disaster as many parts of NSW and QLD were experiencing extreme rainfall and flooding a couple of weeks ago. In NSW, more than 18,000 people were evacuated, and hundreds of schools were closed due to the extreme weather conditions. Additionally, as the Federal Government’s financial supplement packages, JobSeeker and JobKeeper were withdrawn at the end of March 2021, Foodbank anticipates an increase in demand for food relief, as we believe the flooding emergency as well as the removal of the stimulus packages will greatly impact the food security landscape.

A couple of weeks ago, Foodbank NSW & ACT was distributing emergency food relief hampers safely under the instruction of government agencies and officials, utilising both helicopters and barges to access isolated areas. We will continue to work closely with local communities and local agencies to ensure the right products are made available at the right time and to assist them with the lengthy recovery phase.

Although the rain may have eased for now, the emergency isn’t over for many.

Moreover, the removal of additional, targeted financial support (JobSeeker and JobKeeper) for those who were having the toughest time seeking work, or who work in businesses experiencing significant downturn arising from COVID19, will push more than 740,000 Australians into poverty. The impacts of this will not only be seen on recipients’ ability to cover essential costs such as transport, medical, and utilities, but other aspects of household budgeting which are paramount, such as purchasing food and having access to affordable housing.

Economists from Commonwealth Bank of Australia predict that the withdrawal of the JobKeeper assistance package is forecasted to see job losses of up to 10% in retail trade and education, whilst other industries such as construction and professional services are forecasted to experience a 5% loss in employment.

This will have devastating impacts on the current landscape which is characterised by an unemployment rate of 5.8%; (a surprising drop from 6.3% reported in January 2021). Recent data provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that employment to population ratio had increased by 62.3% prior to the removal of the stimulus packages.

Ultimately, the reported rates of unemployment are not a true representation of what the landscape will be in coming weeks now that the stimulus packages have been removed. The flow on affects from removing JobSeeker and JobKeeper will see a loss of purchase demand, decline in economic stimulation and stability and loss of employment nationwide.

Foodbank anticipates that the devastation caused by the floods as well as the removal of the stimulus packages will have a significant impact on our food and grocery stock levels as more people will turn to food relief organisations. Although, we find ourselves well-equipped with sufficient staple products currently, the uncertainty that is evident will require Foodbank to continue to purchase critical food and grocery items in substantial volumes, to ensure stocks are consistently replenished to address ongoing influxes in the demand for food relief.  

Once again, on behalf of the Foodbank family, we sincerely thank you for your support and the impact made possible through your generosity. We look forward to working with you further in our fight against hunger.

Warm Regards,

Sindy

Dear Supporters,

Depending on your perspective, 2020 will have felt like the longest, quickest, or toughest year in recent memory, but either way, I know many of you will be as relieved as I am that it is finally drawing to a close.

We have had to upscale our operations to a capacity we have never had to before, sourcing more critical foods over the last three to four months than we have in the last three years to help those in need of food relief.

Thank you to every one of you for the support you have shown to the Foodbank team during one of our toughest years!

Support like yours is increasingly important for Foodbank now, as we continue to navigate through the profound impacts of the pandemic. COVID19 and the resulting widespread financial hardship experienced across the country has been a key catalyst in the rise of demand for food relief in Australia (47%). More than a quarter (28%) of those experiencing food insecurity have never faced it prior to the pandemic, whilst 43% of food insecure Australians are going a whole day without eating.

Alarmingly, Australians who were struggling to obtain food before the pandemic are going hungry even more and these patterns of food insecurity are likely to persist during the Christmas festive season and beyond. Christmas will not be the same for many families. Many are isolated from their families, and those struggling to make ends meet will not know where their next meal is coming from.

However, Foodbank is here to ensure no one goes without and will continue to provide food relief for those in need for as long as they need it! In our food relief operations from March to September 2020, Foodbank proudly provided 52.2 million meals to those in critical need of food. We could not do this without the help of ardent supporters such as yourself, thank you!

Here is a link to our latest annual Hunger Report which highlights patterns of food insecurity in Australia. https://www.foodbank.org.au/hunger-in-australia/the-facts/?state=au

Once again, on behalf of the Foodbank family, we sincerely thank you for your support and the impact made possible through your generosity. We look forward to working with you further in our fight against hunger.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Warm Regards,

Sindy

 Dear Supporters,

Thank you once again for your support of Foodbank. In what has been the biggest year of challenges for Foodbank ever, your kind donations to our COVID19 efforts are continuing to make a massive difference to those affected.

COVID19 and the resulting widespread financial hardship experienced across the nation, has been the catalyst in the exponential rise in food insecurity in Australia. The early months of the pandemic saw Foodbank scaling up operations to meet the unprecendented increase in demand for food relief. This increase comprised of new demographic groups whom have never asked for assistance previously, including temporary visa holders, newly unemployed, international students and the elderly who found it difficult to leave their homes. 

In the last month, Foodbank has seen an increase of 20% in pre-pandemic clients. We have had to source more key staple foods than in the three years prior to COVID-19. In addition, Foodbank is quickly adapting to the changing environment by introducing new operational models including COVID specific hampers, a food service app and home delivery services; fuelled by an army of community volunteers.

Foodbank is ensuring that vital food relief continues to flow for all vulnerable Australians, including the increasing number of people directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic due to isolation and/or economic hardship. At a time when traditional ‘food rescue’ supplies have declined markedly, we have had to utilise our expertise, industry relationships and national networks to navigate the current disrupted food and grocery supply chains to secure what’s needed for front line charities.

We are consistently scaling up our operations and food purchasing programs to ensure we are able to provide food relief to our 815,000 beneficiaries per month, and will continue to do so for as long as they need it! 

It is a human right to have access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food. Stand with us in our fight against hunger.

Thank you for your support of Foodbank Australia.