Foodbank to trial free student 'supermarket' in Ballarat as wait continues for Gippsland hub
The new centre is located at Mitchell Park, a fringe suburb in the Ballarat West Employment Zone (BWEZ). (ABC Ballarat: Lexie Jeuniewic)
Foodbank's new regional Victorian distribution centre is preparing to trial a program for local students experiencing food insecurity as the wait continues for the charity's second hub to materialise.
The state government pledged $10 million in funding in 2018 for new Community Food Centres in Ballarat and the town of Morwell in the Latrobe Valley.
Despite Foodbank's website stating both hubs would be operational "by no later than December 2022", the Ballarat site only began distributing groceries to charity partners in November 2023.
Morwell's site remains non-operational, with recent wild weather in the Gippsland region a further setback, according to Foodbank chief executive Dave McNamara.
David McNamara says the Morwell hub will be operational by April 2024. (ABC News: Nicole Asher)
"We were building a slip road to connect it to the main road … then a storm cell came through and washed-out part of the road, so we're re-building the road again," he said.
Mr McNamara said he expected that work would be completed by next week.
"That will mean we can get [the hub] open as soon as possible and start delivering the same benefits across East and South Gippsland, and the Latrobe Valley, that we're seeing across the western side of the state," he said.
Disaster depletes Gippsland Foodbank
Demand for the smaller Foodbank at Churchill Neighbourhood Centre, about 11 minutes' drive from Morwell, skyrocketed after the fatal thunderstorm severely damaged nearby towns, including Mirboo North.
The centre's manager Nathan Brown said between 500-600 people had accessed its services since the weather event three weeks ago, compared to the average of six families in a regular week.
"We try to look after people in our own catchment because it's pretty saddening when you've got someone coming to you desperate and you're having to say, 'Sorry, I can't help you today'," he said.
Nathan Brown has welcomed people impacted by thunderstorms, offering up the Churchill Neighbourhood Centre's facilities and therapy dogs. (Supplied: Nathan Brown)
Mr Brown said the centre had to direct people in need of food to other towns, but Traralgon, Morwell and Moe were also experiencing food shortages.
"We're actually the only Foodbank outside of the three big towns, all the way down to Leongatha," Mr Brown said.
"When something happens in those small towns, not just Churchill, Yinnar, and Boolarra, we're one of the first places that people come to."
Student pilot in the pipeline
Currently, Foodbank's Ballarat hub cannot be accessed directly by the community, but plans are in place to change that.
On March 19, Foodbank will begin a six-month pilot program with Federation University's Ballarat campus.
Students with a referral will be able to "shop" for groceries from a supermarket-style set-up within the hub at no cost.
A look inside Foodbank's Ballarat distribution centre, which became operational in November 2023. (Supplied: Foodbank)
Federation University chief learner experience officer Samantha Bartlett said transportation to and from the hub would also be provided.
"This is a pilot project which will transform lives, it will aim to address food insecurity among our students, many of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds," Ms Bartlett said in a statement.
The outcomes of the trial will be evaluated with a view to expand the program to other cohorts needing food relief.
Funding has not been secured for the program's expansion from either the state or federal governments, according to Mr McNamara.
"We've got to work out what works best for the community. It's not one size fits everyone in the community," he said.
He said the latest data obtained by Foodbank showed about 10-12 per cent of the Ballarat population of 130,000 was food insecure.
"That's around 15,000 people. If you imagine 15,000 people trying to come to the food centre, it's not viable. It's not a big enough centre," he said.
Demand 'out of control'
The need for food relief in the Ballarat region is greater than ever, according to the founder of Ballarat's SoupBus, Craig Schepis.
The volunteer-run organisation gives out free meals to people in need five nights a week, through donations.
Craig Schepis says demand for the SoupBus service has surged. (ABC Ballarat: Rhiannon Stevens)
"We would normally have 35 people coming to the SoupBus service of a night," Mr Schepis told ABC Ballarat Breakfast this week.
"But we've been averaging 70 people [a night] since the start of the year. It seems like it is just getting worse."
Mr Schepis estimated the total number of SoupBus clients would be 18,000 this year — whereas previously the annual average was 12,000 people.
He blamed ongoing cost-of-living pressures.
"It is out of control. We are doing what we can … but to keep the stock up is a real challenge," he said.
Charity partners praise hub
At the Ballarat hub, Mr McNamara said fresh, chilled, and frozen produce was being collected by charity partners weekly and then distributed to local government areas in the region, including Hepburn Shire Council and Golden Plains Shire.
Uniting Vic.Tas and the Salvation Army are among the hub's charity partners, which are not required to pay a fee to be involved with the centre.
The hub's senior manager of community engagement and support, Warrick Davison, said the charity had been able to start offering perishable items to clients due to the close proximity of the new centre.
Foodbank's charity partners in Ballarat say they are able to offer more variety to clients as a result of the new hub. (ABC Ballarat: Lexie Jeuniewic)
Previously, orders were fulfilled by Foodbank's Melbourne distribution centre in Yarraville.
"It's much easier now that they are localised," Mr Davison said.
The acting coordinator for the Salvation Army's Doorways emergency relief program, Kaz Thomas, echoed Mr Davison's comments.
"We've never been able to offer fresh milk before, and clients are loving that," he said.