Leader and FareShare’s Feed Melbourne Appeal is going national

It started out as a small community campaign to raise $10,000. But to date, our Feed Melbourne Appeal has raised more than $5 million and helped thousands of Victorians in need. Now, we’re expanding our reach across Australia.

Helping Hands Mission is one of hundreds of Victorian charities that have received Feed Melbourne Appeal grants. Picture: Rob Leeson

What started out as a little community campaign to raise $10,000 has since collected millions of dollars in donations and helped thousands of Victorians struggling to afford food.

Now our Feed Melbourne Appeal is going national.

This year marks the start of the Feed Appeal and our ambitious goal to expand our reach and help all Australians doing it tough.

FEED MELBOURNE APPEAL 2018 RAISES RECORD AMOUNT

HUNGER HITS STRUGGLING FAMILIES

THE PHONE APP THAT HELPS FAMILY VIOLENCE VICTIMS ESCAPE

While we have awarded grants to charities outside greater Melbourne in the past, in 2019 the Feed Melbourne Appeal will officially become the Feed Victoria Appeal.

News Corp Australia’s interstate community papers will promote local appeals - such as Feed New South Wales and Feed South Australia - under the nationwide Feed Appeal.

Money raised in each state will be granted to charities providing food relief in those regions.

THE STORY SO FAR

It all started in 2008 when the Maroondah Leader started a campaign to raise $10,000 for Croydon community kitchen Vive Cafe before Christmas.

Leader Community News and food rescue charity FareShare saw the potential to grow the appeal and, in 2009, our Feed Melbourne Appeal was born.

Feeding Maroondah starts in 2008, aiming to raise $10,000 for a Croydon community kitchen.

We’ve since raised more than $5 million and every dollar of that has gone, as grants of up to $15,000, to food banks, soup kitchens and community meals programs throughout Melbourne.

Money raised has provided more than 330 grants to more than 280 food relief charities.

The money has bought scores of fridges, freezers, cooking appliances, storage shelves and even vans to help charities meet increasing demand and avoid turning people away.

The official launch of Feed Melbourne in 2009.

Donations also helped FareShare open Australia’s biggest charity kitchen to divert surplus food away from landfill and transform it into nutritious, free meals for people struggling to afford food.

Along the way we’ve made some famous friends, with Bruce Springsteen and Mumford & Sons raising money for us at their Melbourne concerts.

Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation backed us for six years and now we are thrilled to have ongoing support from Newman’s Own Foundation.

FareShare and Leader volunteers rattling tins at a Bruce Springsteen concert at AAMI Park.

WHERE TO NOW?

We’ve got some exciting events and campaigns planned for this year and we hope to raise more money than ever to help surburban and regional charities make the most of rescued food and stop people from going hungry.

If there is one thing we have learnt in the past decade it is that hunger doesn’t discriminate.

Young families, single mums, pensioners and students can struggle to afford food and stretch a low income when rent, energy bills and other living costs start to pile up.

The Feed Melbourne Appeal has made a huge difference for thousands of Victorians and now, with some help from our friends in other states, our goal is to make sure no Australian goes hungry.

Look out for the official launch of the Feed Victoria Appeal in your local Leader and online in June.