Central Victorians have rallied to support Bendigo Foodshare’s community food drive, donating 1,410 kilograms of non-perishable food, which roughly equates to 2,800 meals for local people in need.
Recent statistics show that more than 25,000 people in the Bendigo region are living close to or below the poverty line, putting them at serious risk of food insecurity and hunger.
In 2019, Bendigo Foodshare supported more than 12,400 people each week with donated, surplus and rescued food with the help of almost 100 local charities, community groups, early learning centres and schools.
Bendigo Foodshare is particularly grateful to the organisations below that collected food on its behalf in November and December, and others still that hosted in-house drives.
- Bendigo Bank branches
- Bendigo Telco
- Bunnings Epsom
- Bush’s Produce Stores
- Catherine Macauley College
- City of Greater Bendigo
- Fosterville Gold Mine
- Goodstart Early Learning Centres
- Heathcote Community House
Donated food will go to emergency food relief services, community meal providers and breakfast programs to help people during the school holiday period.
People still wanting to donate are reminded that non-perishable food is hard to come by year-round. Donations of canned and long-life items are always appreciated.
As long as the food is fit for human consumption and meets food safety guidelines, it can be given to Bendigo Foodshare when its warehouse reopens on Monday 6 January 2020.
Bendigo Foodshare is located at 2/43 Havilah Road, Long Gully and is open between 8 am and 1 pm Monday to Thursday or other times by appointment.
