Mission: Possible for new food hub

BENDIGO Foodshare has had a major breakthrough in its mission to provide long-term food security after a new facility of the organisation was announced.

Now the community group is calling on local support to help raise $1.8 million for the new home and food hub at 123 Garsed Street, Bendigo.

Already $1.5 million has been raised thanks to donations from the State Government, Kirkland Lake Gold, the City of Greater Bendigo and other major local backers.

Chair of the board of Bendigo Foodshare Cathie Steele said members can’t wait to move the facility to a bigger site.

“The new community food hub is absolutely amazing for Bendigo,” she said. “This is a warehouse for food rescue and food distribution we’ll also have a social supermarket where people can come in and choose the food that they want.

“We’re still working on the models, but it’ll probably be take what you need and give what you can.”

With Foodshare helping more than 12,000 people across Central Victoria get access to healthy food, City of Greater Bendigo mayor Cr Jennifer Alden said the municipality has been looking for ways to help with the challenge of a long time.

“Addressing food poverty is a really high priority for our community but also for the City of Greater Bendigo,” she said.

“Back in 2014 we started looking at how many people didn’t have access to healthy and affordable food in Bendigo and we’ve been shocked and stunned.

“In 2019 we did an active living census and that showed us nearly one in ten people were going without access to healthy food daily and in some situations in some areas in Bendigo it was up to 18 per cent of the community.”

Ms Steele said the new space will allow for Foodshare to double their capacity and offer new programs and workshops.

“Outside will have a café and an education space where people can do cooking classes, and a community garden so that we can grow more food for Foodshare and people can learn to grow food,” she said.

John Hazeldene from Hazeldene’s Chickens is a major supporter of the campaign and donated $500,000.

“I really was oblivious of the problem of food shortage and how severe it was in Bendigo. We went back and spoke to the family about it, and we felt like we had to something,” he said.

“One kid in five going to school hungry, the number of families going hungry, we’ve never been through that ourselves so that was the main stat that stuck in our mind.”

To get involved with the Bendigo Foodshare campaign or to donate visit bendigofoodshare.org.au.