Community Bank Wandin-Seville is collecting food for Foodbank Victoria’s VIC Metro’s Winter Food Drive to provide food for those doing it tough.
It came after Bendigo Bank partnered with Foodbank Victoria to help alleviate the growing demand on its supplies as food insecurity grows with the cost of living.
Community Bank Wandin-Seville executive officer Leah Thompson said the branch was receiving donations from the public.
“We have two food bank boxes in the branch that are filling up which is great to see,” she said.
The Vic Metro’s Winter Food Drive lasts the entirety of August and people are urged to donate what they can.
Foodbank is the largest hunger relief charity in Australia that links surplus food and groceries to people in need, which was established in 1930 to support Victorians through the Great Depression.
It provides food and grocery relief to just under 3000 frontline charities and 3220 school breakfast programs to help feed people in need.
In the last 12 months, 3.4 million households in Australia struggled to put food on their table
Last year alone, Foodbank sourced enough food for 92 million meals.
It currently is looking specifically for eight staple items that are most in demand: tuna, sauce, pasta, rice, cereal, UHT milk, canned fruit and canned vegetables.
Alongside Community Bank Wandin-Seville, the Warburton-Yarra Junction branch and Woori Yallock-Yellingbo branch are also taking part.
Ms Thompson said the collective action from all of the community banks would make a big impact.
“All of the Bendigo bank branches are collecting donations for the month of August so together there should be an opportunity for a meaningful donation to help make a difference,” she said.
The Vic Metro’s Winter Food Drive ends on 29 August.
“There’s still some time left to donate,” Ms Thompson said.
