VicHealth welcomes the Victorian Government’s new $5 million Community Food Relief Fund, providing one-off grants of up to $75,000 to support local community organisations supplying food to Victorians in need during the coronavirus pandemic.
Our research shows almost 1 in 6 Victorians were worried about being able to afford to put food on the table during the first lockdown, up from 1 in 11 in February 2020. What’s worse more than a quarter (27 per cent) of single-parent families and 1 in 10 (11 per cent) families on low incomes ran out of food and couldn’t afford to buy more.
Food insecurity is a significant public health challenge, requiring support across sectors, and initiatives from grassroots to statewide.
The Victorian Government’s funding will assist with a range of challenges – like helping develop innovative food relief delivery models to support COVID safe practices.
VicHealth’s Reimagining Health Grants complement this investment, focusing on local organisations, such as social enterprises, community gardens and community groups, a vital component to the coronavirus recovery.
As noted by Dr Sandro Demaio VicHealth CEO
“Many Victorians were already facing an uphill battle to put food on the table when the pandemic hit. We welcome The Victorian Government’s new Community Food Relief Fund, strengthening food relief services across the state to ensure Victorian families don’t go hungry.”
“Our Reimagining Health Grants will fund local grassroots initiatives that help Victorians access affordable, healthy food, complementing the Victorian Government’s state wide investments.”
