That’s why we’re working to address the increasing demand for immediate and long-term food relief in our community. Through this, we will identify practical and sustainable food relief activities for community members in need. By doing so we also want to connect people to additional support services.
The project is being led by City of Port Phillip in partnership with Cities of Yarra and Melbourne. It is funded through a $330,000 grant from Victorian Government through funding provided by the Metropolitan Partnerships Development Fund.
To support the immediate needs of those experiencing food insecurity, $100,000 of the grant funding was allocated across the region ($36,666 to each Council area).
Port Phillip’s share was allocated to Port Phillip Community Group’s (PPCG) Share the Food program in Port Melbourne.
This additional funding assisted PPCG to buy bulk food and allocate it to 15 food relief agencies, widening their food relief distribution network.
Food relief agencies have told us what it means to the community to have this extra resource. Emerald Hill Mission pointed out how the supply of fresh food has helped their clients.
“The continual supply of fresh fruit, eggs, desserts, personal care items and selected foodstuffs means that we can be confident that many sleeping rough and living in substandard accommodation can be fed with healthy, appetising food. Without the support of Share the Food, we would struggle financially to provide not only food, but the social and caring support that so many of our clients have come to rely on.”
It also enables agencies to distribute more food along with better-quality food items including protein, dairy, culturally appropriate foods and special dietary requirements.
Paul, a recipient of food through the program pointed out the importance of the service for as a boost for his mental health as well as for his material needs.
“You give good stuff in the hampers, all things we can use, so we don’t throw away much. That’s because you know what we need. But it’s not all about the material goods, it is also moral support. It gives you a boost to know that someone cares and spends the time to make you the hamper. Even during COVID lockdowns, you never missed a day. It gave us something to look forward to” he said.
Volunteers working on the program are also getting that sense of social cohesion and connection through the food relief program. One Share the Food volunteer described the family they found as part of their work:
“I sometimes take my three children to volunteer at the warehouse as well, to teach them that not everyone can afford food. It is a bonus that you meet so many like-minded people who care about community. Some of them became my best friends, or more like family.”
The wider Food Security project is being delivered by Sustain – The Australian Food network, in a three-stage research report:
- Stage one: involved an extensive research stage involving mapping the current services, and gathering information on current needs
- Stage two: involves engaging with food relief and social support agencies, persons with lived experience and from First Nations communities and persons experiencing homelessness (rough sleeping), undertaking analysis of the findings, and compiling a research report with recommendations about better models for the coordination, cooperation and allocation of food relief and integrate social support, so we can target our efforts to have the most benefit.
- Stage three: in this final stage, will see the development of a preliminary report and a final report. These reports will contain recommendations for interventions based on evidence that has been gathered throughout the project.
Through each stage, we will gain a deeper understanding of the needs of people in our City experiencing food insecurity and how best connect them to those other important wrap around services.
Through our investigations, we will consider opportunities to better coordinate with partner organisations and councils to track demand and to improve collaborations and early interventions.
We will also be better equipped to link food relief to other connected services to help strengthen social connections and access to health services.
We will update you on the progress of this project as we continue to roll it out.
For more on the IMP project: Inner Metropolitan Partnership (suburbandevelopment.vic.gov.au).
