Our Core Programs

1. Support of School Breakfast Programs

Going to school hungry can affect a child’s ability to concentrate, to learn and to achieve. Yet this is what happens to thousands of schoolchildren in South Australia each day. To help combat child hunger, Foodbank SA provides food for school breakfast and nutrition programs run by Australian Red Cross, Kick Start for Kids, Rotary as well as directly to 25 schools.

We currently provide food and logistics for more than 120 school breakfast programs. This involvement is across urban, rural and outback communities which together provide approximately 400,000 children’s meals and snacks each year.  

There is still much to do, and we will actively pursue relationships with those child care centres, schools and organisations that are willing and able to provide children with the food they need.  We are determined to make sure that the lack of food will not be a reason why children are not able to get an equal start in life.  Donate directly to buy food for School Breakfast Programs here.

2. Hamper Programs - Christmas and Everyday

Foodbank SA’s annual Christmas Hamper program is a massive logistical operation. Every year we source about 150 tonnes of groceries – including Christmas celebratory foods – which are packed into more than 9500 hampers for the needy, and distributed by more than 200 welfare and service organisations as part of their own Christmas giving programs.

Half of the foods are donated by food companies and we buy the rest at the best price we can. Foodbank SA's is the largest Christmas hamper program in the state and it involves more than 60 companies who donate food, cash and services. In addition, hundreds of South Australians volunteer to pack the hampers each year.  This brings hope and cheer at Christmas when many face a bleak and lonely time.  The letters of thanks we get make us realise how special this program is to so many.  Donate directly to the purchase of food and groceries for the 2013 Christmas Hamper here.

In May 2013 we launched the QBE 'Everyday Hamper' Program which is ideal for all agencies and groups delivering emergency food relief.  Hampers include core staples which are bagged and boxed to save agencies precious time and resources.  More information and product lists available here.

3. Country and Indigenous

For those living in rural and outback communities, getting access to nutritious and affordable food is an even bigger problem than for those in the city. While our three branches in Mt Gambier, Whyalla and the Riverland help to solve food security in country SA, there are many other regions across the state that suffer food insecurity, and we are developing ways to help.

We will create partnerships with concerned individuals, business and community leaders and local government that want to benefit from coordinating the efforts of their community organisations looking to access regular supplies of staple foods. This includes building on the existing relationships with indigenous communities to provide emergency food to all in SA.

4. Fruit & Veg For All

Without nutritious food, you can't be healthy - you can't be your best.  At Foodbank we realise the importance of providing our end customers with the best food possible so that they are in the best position to help themselves and to be as healthy as possible.

Research by SA Council of Social Services shows that the rise in the cost of healthy eating has grown much faster than CPI and the rise in the cost of food generally, which means that eating healthy food is expensive, especially with regard to fruit and vegetables. Lack of these foods can lead to poor eating choices and the rise of health related issues.  To confirm our commitment, and with the assistance of a recent $100,000 grant from the SA Government, Foodbank SA now distributes all fresh Fruit & Veg at no charge to welfare groups. 

We are therefore focusing our energies in lifting our own performance in the provision of fruit and vegetables from the current 200,000 kilograms to 1 million kilograms by the end of 2015.  You can help us do this by donating here.

5. Core Staples - food that underpins all our programs

Underpinning all these programs is the need to ensure ongoing availability of core staple foods - the type of foods commonly found in kitchen pantries. The staple foods most in demand by the state’s needy include bread, breakfast cereal, long-life milk, baked beans, rice, pasta, soups and canned foods.

To achieve this we’ve developed a range of partnerships with food businesses and other organisations, to ensure a steady supply of the right foods to support our core programs. Sometimes these are obtained through collaborative supply programs or are donated directly from the source.  More and more we are needing to buy these items (at preferential industry rates) and have committed $500,000 this year to meet the increasing need.  You can help us by donating directly to the purchase of core staples here.

6. Community Foodbanking - the way of the future

In a April 2013 we opened our first Community Foodbank in partnership with Uniting Care Wesley Bowden and with funding from the Australian Hotels Association (SA), The Universal Foundation and kind individual donors.  This allows people presenting to Uniting Care (for emergency food relief) the opportunity to receive a Foodbank SA voucher and to redeem it onsite.  This replaces the model of being issued with a retail voucher and allows recipients to 'shop' a dignified environment that offers choice and provides much greater value for money.  Once again all Fresh Fruit and Veg is provided at no cost. 

We believe that Community Foodbanking is the best value model to provide emergency food relief - a view that is shared with many welfare agencies, funding bodies and clients alike.  To help us increase our network of Community Foodbanks, please donate here.