food relief

As the cost of living makes it harder than ever for singles, couples and families to make ends meet, food pantries across Canberra are working hard to help keep food on the table. Food pantries provide free or low-cost food and essential items to anyone who is struggling to afford them, whether it be for the long-term or just for now. To help increase awareness of this vital community service, the Communities at Work pantries took the time to share their story and experiences.

The rising cost of rent, fuel, interest rates and other necessities is creating situations where people must choose between buying food and meeting other financial responsibilities, such as paying bills. In the past year alone, 12,500 Canberrans ran out of food and could not afford to buy more. Record numbers of people in our community are going hungry for the first time, and help is available thanks to Canberra’s food pantries. Food pantries provide low-cost and free food items to anyone that needs them. To find out more, we spoke to the UCX Food Pantry, located at the University of Canberra (UC).

Food pantries provide low-cost and free food and other household items to their local community. Yet food relief is just part of the picture. These welcoming hubs also provide vital social support; a place where people from all walks of life can come together as a community to share understanding, knowledge and support. A shining example is Holy Cross Tuckerbox (HCT) Food Pantry.

Food pantries are a significant part of Canberra’s Food Relief Network, providing free and low-cost groceries to those in need. While each pantry is as unique as the community it supports, what they share is an unwavering dedication to making sure no-one in Canberra goes hungry.

While it may be hard to imagine that a family in your neighbourhood could be going hungry, the reality is that a large and growing number of people can no longer afford to feed themselves and their families.

It’s hard to imagine someone next to us on the bus, or in our workplace, needing to skip meals to make ends meet. As rent payments, interest rates, fuel, utility bills and other living costs continue to rise, more and more Australians are having to forgo food. This number continues to rise. Food is a vital necessity. Yet 1 in 6 Australians have not had enough to eat in the past year. Of those, 52% are employed, and include households with dual incomes – families not traditionally facing food insecurity. 1.2 million Australian children have gone hungry. Many people in our community ....