More Australians are turning to food banks as they struggle to put food on the table
- Replies 4
As a result of the rapidly increasing costs of living, an increasing number of Australian households are turning to food bank hampers to cut back on groceries and food items that push their budgets over the edge.
As the cost of living rises, more and more Australians are turning to food banks. Credit: DjordjeDjurdjevic/Getty Images.
The MacGregors are one of the families who are impacted by the inflation crisis.
It was never in the plans of Ella MacGregor and her husband, both of whom have jobs and are middle-class Queenslanders, to have to rely on food packages just to feed their children.
'At Aldi, it was $23 for a head of cabbage and $10 for a head of lettuce - there's just so many things we can't purchase,' Ms MacGregor told 9News.
'I think we're all in a situation now where we have to put our pride aside, you know, if it's between pride and feeding your family.'
According to Sara Harrup, the Chief Executive Officer of Foodbank Queensland, more and more Aussies are being forced to rely on the assistance provided by charitable organisations.
For the first time in the company's 27-year history, Foodbank Queensland delivered more than 14.5 million kilos of food essentials to locals in need in the last year.
'Often, the food budget is the only flexible part of someone's household budget,' Harrup said. 'We're definitely seeing people take that step in recent times that we may not have seen before.'
People from all walks of life are struggling with the rising cost of living. Credit: Nine.
And it's not only happening in Queensland. According to reports, community-based food banks in NSW are preparing for the worst as more people find themselves unable to purchase groceries.
Jasmeen and her family would be in danger of going hungry if it weren't for the Jesuit Refugee Service, which provides them with food weekly.
According to Jasmeen, she, her husband, and their two children do not receive any support from the government. As a result, they have been struggling with their health as well as the rapidly increasing cost of food.
'The expenses are just too much now, especially for groceries. Any unexpected expenses would be very difficult,' she said. 'I can't imagine surviving without the food deliveries. We had to cut out meat and fish, we can only buy the essentials.'
The Harris Park Community Center's manager, Patrick Soosay, claims that the demand for food boxes has risen recently and is now on par with the demand during the Delta lockdown in western Sydney.
'I think it's probably just as bad as it was during the Covid lockdowns. It's a bit different because there was a lot more funding and support to get people through,' he said.
'Whereas now, those organisations have significantly scaled downwards, meaning there are not as many services around anymore. And that significantly impacts people. Many tell us that without our food or support, they will go hungry.'
Soosay says that the price of groceries is the factor that impacts people the most and that many can't make simple meals at home without help from the community.
Foodbank sources groceries from farmers, wholesalers, manufacturers, and retailers. Credit: Syngenta Australia.
Foodbank is the largest food assistance organisation in Australia, and they are currently functioning on a massive scale along with a variety of other front-line charities that are feeding underprivileged Australians.
Foodbank distributes more than 70 per cent of the food to organisations across the country that provide food relief.
Members, if you require food relief of any kind, please do not hesitate to contact the Foodbank location in your state or territory. Listed below are their details:
Foodbank QLD
179 Beverley St, Morningside QLD 4170, Australia
+61 7 3395 8422
Foodbank NSW & ACT
50 Owen St, Glendenning NSW 2761, Australia
+61 2 9756 3099
Foodbank SA
377 Cross Rd, Edwardstown SA 5039, Australia
+61 8 8351 1136
Foodbank VIC
4/2 Somerville Rd, Yarraville VIC 3013, Australia
+61 3 9362 8300
Foodbank WA
23 Abbott Rd, Perth Airport WA 6105, Australia
+61 8 9258 9277
Foodbank TAS
4-8 Sunmont St, Derwent Park TAS 7173, Australia
+61 3 6274 1052
You can also visit Ask Izzy, which can put you in touch with nearby organisations that provide food aid. Keep yourselves safe and healthy, everyone!
As the cost of living rises, more and more Australians are turning to food banks. Credit: DjordjeDjurdjevic/Getty Images.
The MacGregors are one of the families who are impacted by the inflation crisis.
It was never in the plans of Ella MacGregor and her husband, both of whom have jobs and are middle-class Queenslanders, to have to rely on food packages just to feed their children.
'At Aldi, it was $23 for a head of cabbage and $10 for a head of lettuce - there's just so many things we can't purchase,' Ms MacGregor told 9News.
'I think we're all in a situation now where we have to put our pride aside, you know, if it's between pride and feeding your family.'
According to Sara Harrup, the Chief Executive Officer of Foodbank Queensland, more and more Aussies are being forced to rely on the assistance provided by charitable organisations.
For the first time in the company's 27-year history, Foodbank Queensland delivered more than 14.5 million kilos of food essentials to locals in need in the last year.
'Often, the food budget is the only flexible part of someone's household budget,' Harrup said. 'We're definitely seeing people take that step in recent times that we may not have seen before.'
People from all walks of life are struggling with the rising cost of living. Credit: Nine.
And it's not only happening in Queensland. According to reports, community-based food banks in NSW are preparing for the worst as more people find themselves unable to purchase groceries.
Jasmeen and her family would be in danger of going hungry if it weren't for the Jesuit Refugee Service, which provides them with food weekly.
According to Jasmeen, she, her husband, and their two children do not receive any support from the government. As a result, they have been struggling with their health as well as the rapidly increasing cost of food.
'The expenses are just too much now, especially for groceries. Any unexpected expenses would be very difficult,' she said. 'I can't imagine surviving without the food deliveries. We had to cut out meat and fish, we can only buy the essentials.'
The Harris Park Community Center's manager, Patrick Soosay, claims that the demand for food boxes has risen recently and is now on par with the demand during the Delta lockdown in western Sydney.
'I think it's probably just as bad as it was during the Covid lockdowns. It's a bit different because there was a lot more funding and support to get people through,' he said.
'Whereas now, those organisations have significantly scaled downwards, meaning there are not as many services around anymore. And that significantly impacts people. Many tell us that without our food or support, they will go hungry.'
Soosay says that the price of groceries is the factor that impacts people the most and that many can't make simple meals at home without help from the community.
Foodbank sources groceries from farmers, wholesalers, manufacturers, and retailers. Credit: Syngenta Australia.
Foodbank is the largest food assistance organisation in Australia, and they are currently functioning on a massive scale along with a variety of other front-line charities that are feeding underprivileged Australians.
Foodbank distributes more than 70 per cent of the food to organisations across the country that provide food relief.
Members, if you require food relief of any kind, please do not hesitate to contact the Foodbank location in your state or territory. Listed below are their details:
Foodbank QLD
179 Beverley St, Morningside QLD 4170, Australia
+61 7 3395 8422
Foodbank NSW & ACT
50 Owen St, Glendenning NSW 2761, Australia
+61 2 9756 3099
Foodbank SA
377 Cross Rd, Edwardstown SA 5039, Australia
+61 8 8351 1136
Foodbank VIC
4/2 Somerville Rd, Yarraville VIC 3013, Australia
+61 3 9362 8300
Foodbank WA
23 Abbott Rd, Perth Airport WA 6105, Australia
+61 8 9258 9277
Foodbank TAS
4-8 Sunmont St, Derwent Park TAS 7173, Australia
+61 3 6274 1052
You can also visit Ask Izzy, which can put you in touch with nearby organisations that provide food aid. Keep yourselves safe and healthy, everyone!
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