Support Feed Melbourne Appeal in 2018, a joint Leader Community News and FareShare campaign

Every week, thousands of young Melbourne families, single mums, pensioners and students struggle to afford food when rent, energy bills and other living costs pile up. You can help make a difference.

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre food bank received a Feed Melbourne Appeal grant last year. Pictured are volunteers Brian Derum, Uyen Nguyen and Dave Hu. Picture: Ellen Smith

• Millions of charity meals made from rescued food
• Feed Melbourne grant recipient is saving lives
• Feed Melbourne Appeal raises record total
• Food fears real for struggling families

IN 2018 the Feed Melbourne Appeal is marking 10 years of fighting hidden hunger in our community.

Over the past decade we’ve raised $4 million — and every dollar of that has gone to one of more than 280 suburban charities providing food and hope for Victorians in need.

Your generous donations have gone towards fridges, freezers, kitchen equipment and vans to help charities make the most of rescued food that would otherwise have gone into landfill.

But while local food banks and soup kitchens are now better equipped to support people, the rising cost of living means the need for food relief has grown.

Leader Community News and food rescue charity FareShare started the appeal to address the growing issue of hidden hunger across our suburbs.

From Roxburgh Park to Rye, what we have learned over 10 years it is that hunger doesn’t discriminate.

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

Bayside Community Care received a Feed Melbourne Appeal grant to buy equipment for its food bank and meals programs in Cheltenham and Carrum. Pictured are volunteers Onida Weir and Jane Foster (Bayside Community Care co-ordinator), Pam Hendricks and Amy Butler. Picture: Janine Eastgate

FareShare chief executive Marcus Godinho said, thanks to the Feed Melbourne Appeal, food charities were now able to rescue more surplus food, serve more hot, healthy meals and make up more hampers for families that have fallen on hard times.

“When we started the appeal the need to support local charities was stark. The support of Leader readers has been overwhelming,” Mr Godinho said.

“While local charities are much better equipped to support people, the need for food relief has sadly only grown over the 10 years.”

Foodbank Australia’s 2017 Hunger Report revealed a 10 per cent increase in the number of people seeking food relief over the previous year.

More than 65,000 Australians each month were turned away from food charities which couldn’t keep up with growing demand, the report revealed.

Careworks SunRanges bought a new van with a 2017 Feed Melbourne Appeal grant. Pictured are Michael Austin, John Blaikie and Steve Paine. Picture: Hamish Blair

Newman’s Own Foundation spokeswoman Dimity Pinto said the charity, which was started by the late Hollywood actor Paul Newman, was supporting the Feed Melbourne Appeal again.

“The Foundation was extremely impressed with the impact and reach of last year’s Feed Melbourne campaign and its ability to support so many worthy groups in the community,” Mrs Pinto said.

“This campaign continued to make a real difference to people of all ages whose food security is at risk on a daily basis.”

Feed Melbourne Appeal chief executive Katherine Gokavi-Whaley said the appeal had been a source of hope for many, but there was still a long way to go.

“We have provided hope in a world that can seem hopeless for members of our community who, due to circumstances often out of their control, find themselves suddenly unable to make ends meet and having to forgo food to ensure other basic needs are met,” Ms Gokavi-Whaley said.

Darebin Information Volunteer and Resource Service received $10,000 to buy food and $3260 for equipment during the Feed Melbourne Appeal. Pictured are volunteer Kathleen Phillips and program development leader Nevin Cetiner. Picture: Janine Eastgate.

“Donate because you are at home eating at least three meals today and if you give as little as $2 you will help provide four meals.”

This year we have set ourselves the challenge of raising $1 million — enough to make two million meals.

Head of Leader editorial Andrew Rennie urged readers to get behind the Feed Melbourne Appeal in 2018.

You can donate at our website, by phone or at the check-out while shopping at Woolworths stores or online.

Schools, workplaces and community groups can also get involved by registering a pasta collection drive.

Donations of more than $2 are tax-deductible and every dollar raised goes to food charities.