Our vision of a food hub is a centralised location where the community can come together to address food insecurity, share ideas, access locally grown produce and learn to cook, grow and share food. We want to develop the hub to become an inclusive and inspiring place where people can access fresh, healthy and cheap food, in a dignified way.
The food hub model is not new and has been replicated in many other countries.
Food hubs provide an integrated approach that achieves multiple and long-lasting benefits, including:
- Increased access to and affordability of healthy, fresh and local produce for vulnerable and low-income residents
- Linking local producers to consumers and food businesses
- Training and employment opportunities for residents
- Business incubation opportunities for new entrepreneurs
- Urban regeneration
Why is Central Victoria getting a Food Hub?
The increasing demand for food relief across Central Victoria has seen Bendigo Foodshare needing to find a bigger space that is more easily accessed by the community to store and distribute food to those in need.
In 2015, the City of Greater Bendigo undertook a feasibility study to establish a regional food hub in Bendigo. The study found Bendigo and central Victoria would benefit from a food hub and identified potential models of operation to provide food to people in need.
Through the success of the Mission Possible funding campaign, Bendigo Foodshare has raised funds to build a new warehouse.
