Food Security Australia Project #46642

Food relief for vulnerable Australians

by Foodbank Australia Limited

Project Report | Jul 29, 2021
Demand for food relief skyrockets during lockdown

By Sindy | National Partnerships Executive

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

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Apr 6, 2021
Update on Foodbank's response to COVID19

By Sindy | National Partnerships Executive

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

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Dec 21, 2020
Update on Foodbank's response to COVID19

By Sindy Dupagunta | National Partnerships Executive

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

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Warm Regards,

Sindy

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