The Allan Labor Government is helping people experiencing food insecurity in regional Victoria access fresh and healthy food, with the recently opened Morwell Community Food Centre.
Minister for Carers and Volunteers Ros Spence today visited Foodbank Victoria's Morwell Community Food Centre, which has already distributed close to 20,000 kilograms of fresh and chilled food to charity partners since it began operations in May.
The Labor Government's investment of $10 million has supported the construction of community food centres in Morwell and Ballarat, delivering much-needed food relief to ease cost-of-living pressures for thousands of Victorians.
Delivery of the new Morwell Centre means food no longer needs to be trucked in from Foodbank's Yarraville warehouse, with the new hubs linking with local charities and organisations to provide food relief in the Grampians and Gippsland areas.
Charities and organisations with limited facilities benefit from the Centre's capacity to store and handle thousands of kilos of fresh, chilled and frozen foods in its 2000 sqm warehouse.
The Centre has a strong food literacy focus, with a purpose-built training kitchen supporting food education for a variety of groups, including school age children, older Victorians and people interested in learning about healthy eating.
The new Food Centre features a vegetable garden and will also utilise fresh produce grown in Morwell and surrounding areas, through a strong relationship with local producers and wholesalers.
In partnership with local charities, the new Food Centre will support Foodbank Victoria's 'Farms to Families' program in Morwell, a series of pop-up markets which provide up to 300 families with enough fresh food for a week.
As stated by Minister for Carers and Volunteers Ros Spence
"This facility will provide local food relief in a much more efficient and effective way, helping to put food on the table for families doing it tough."
"We are helping regional Victorians access fresh and healthy food with our continuing investment in regional food distribution hubs like Foodbank Victoria's Morwell Community Food Centre."
As stated by Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing
"Many families are doing it tough and that's why investments like this are so important. The new Centre will connect more people with the support they deserve to address food insecurity."
As stated by Dave McNamara, CEO, Foodbank Victoria
"Foodbank Victoria's partnership with the Victorian Government means that we can continue to assist and respond to the needs of the Morwell and surrounding communities by delivering fresh food to those who need it."
