feeding queenslanders in need every day
The Hunger Crisis
3.7 million households have run out of food in the last year.
What we do
Foodbank is the pantry to the charity sector in Australia.
The result
Last year alone, nationally we sourced enough food for over 82 million meals.
Real Stories of Queensland Hardship
The face of hunger in Queensland is so diverse, and the reality is it could happen to any one of us. All it takes is an unexpected job loss, medical bill or health issue and you can find yourself in need of support.
Anne
After enduring years of domestic violence, while fighting to keep her family together, Anne was left with a devastating brain injury. The young mum suffered the loss of her speech and ability to walk. With no means of income and only a small disability pension, it was often only enough to pay for her therapy and medications. Not having enough to eat made Anne feel worthless.
“Sometimes I wouldn’t eat for days, as I wanted to save what little bit of money I had left, to provide for my kids during their visits. I was often starving, but my babies would always be happy, so I decided it was worth it.”
Meghan
Chronic illness leaves Meghan struggling to feed her family. For the last nine years Meghan has been living with the devastating impact of cancer. She has faced three cancer diagnoses and endured several major surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy. A solo parent, Meghan has never stopped striving to provide for her son and daughter.
“When you can’t work you still have those bills and it’s a constant struggle. If not for the food hampers there would have been many times we would have had bread and butter for dinner.”
Shane
Being unable to work leaves Shane’s family in crisis. Shane has always worked hard to provide for his family, just like his father and grandfather before him. But years of labour-intensive work have left him with a debilitating injury and he is unable to find employment until his health improves.
“I’ve been a worker all my life and my father taught me that it’s my responsibility to look after my family. It’s very hard for me not being able to work at the moment, so I’m glad that when I really need help it's there."
Rebecca
Keeping her family safe leaves Rebecca struggling to feed them. Until a few months ago, Rebecca had always worked hard, holding down as many as three jobs at once to provide for her young family. But after escaping an abusive relationship, all of Rebecca’s energy needed to go into finding a new home and keeping her daughters safe. With her income drastically reduced, she soon struggled to cover rent and food.
“Without the food we have received, some weeks I wouldn’t have been able to send Zoe to school because there wouldn’t have been enough for her lunch each day. Especially since I’ve been sick, having the extra help means I know I’ve got everything I need and I can keep a roof over our heads.”
