Australian food charities are facing unprecedented pressure as demand for emergency food relief reaches record levels, with working families increasingly joining queues for support during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Record Demand Hits Food Relief Services
Food rescue organisation SecondBite reports that charities across the country are struggling to keep up with soaring demand, as parents regularly skip meals to ensure their children have enough to eat. The organisation has reached a significant milestone with supermarket giant Coles, having delivered the equivalent of 300 million meals to Australians in need since their partnership began in 2011.
SecondBite co-founder Simone Carson revealed that tough financial conditions are pushing people who have never needed assistance before to seek food relief. "We're seeing families where both parents are working, yet they still don't have enough money left over for food after covering essential expenses," Ms Carson explained.
She shared heartbreaking accounts of people hesitating to seek help, with many saying, 'There must be people worse off than me,' and consequently going without food themselves.
Changing Face of Food Insecurity
The demographic of those needing assistance has shifted dramatically, with double-income families now appearing regularly at food relief services. The national food rescue organisation, which began humbly in Melbourne twenty years ago, now supports thousands of Australians through nearly 900 food programs and charities.
Ms Carson highlighted several concerning trends indicating the depth of the crisis:
- More children attending free school breakfast programs
- Students arriving at school without food in their lunch boxes
- Parents consistently eating after their children or skipping meals entirely
- Working families unable to afford basic groceries despite multiple incomes
"Parents will make sure their family is fed first, then claim they'll eat later," Ms Carson said. "In reality, they're regularly having leftovers or missing meals to ensure their children don't go hungry."
Partnership Provides Critical Support
The collaboration with Coles has been transformative for SecondBite, enabling the organisation to expand from a small local charity to a national service provider. Coles staff ensure that high-quality, unsold food is properly stored and ready for collection by SecondBite trucks or local charities.
Brooke Donnelly, Coles General Manager of Sustainability, emphasised that the partnership supports everyday Australians during difficult times. "One hot meal during a crisis or an emergency food hamper during natural disasters can provide the help someone needs to get back on their feet," she said.
The program assists diverse groups including:
- People experiencing homelessness
- Those fleeing domestic violence situations
- Refugees and asylum seekers
- Unemployed individuals
- Low-income families
For Adelaide grandmother Anna, 65, the fortnightly food hampers from Pathway Community Centre have been essential. "I've got very little money to spend on food," she admitted. "I don't think I would survive without these hampers."
Anna now volunteers at the centre, which receives rescued food from SecondBite, as a way to give back to the service that supports her. She has witnessed firsthand how the client demographic has changed, noting that double-income families are now regularly seeking assistance.
Coles will launch its Christmas Appeal from December 3, providing customers with multiple ways to support SecondBite's vital work. Australians can purchase $2 charity gift tags, donate at checkout, or buy selected products, with each $2 donation helping to provide up to 10 meals for people experiencing hardship.
