What we are doing

The Melbourne Food Hub’s Food Justice Drive brings together the unique skills, capacities, resources and networks of leading members of the Melbourne Food Hub, to help address critical food security needs being experienced by many vulnerable community members at this time. 

We want to harness and mobilize the collectives resources of our businesses and organisations – as well as allied partners, supporters and community members – to grow, source and make available as much good food as we can to those who need it most in our community. To do this we need to scale up our infrastructure and person-power – by installing Biofilta FoodCubes (pictured) across our site and building a team of urban farmers who can propagate, plant, pick and pack all of this good food. 

This is critical as this is a time of great hardship and suffering for the most vulnerable in our community: the elderly; the unemployed and those at risk of unemployment – especially the hospitality sector; those on low incomes; those living with disabilities; members of First Nations communities; and newly arrived migrants and refugees. Our local food relief sector in the City of Darebin has already experienced a significant increase in demand which is compounded by disruption to supply through large institutional donors and it is unlikely that this trend will slow. 

So much of what we do is reliant on everybody in the community working together.

You can help us and others by doing the following.

Where you can get more support within Darebin

Various food relief programs operate within Darebin and at the state level. The right to food is a human right, and everybody should have access to healthy, fresh, dignifying and culturally appropriate food at all times. Many people are impacted by COVID-19, and asking for help where you need it is the best way for all of us to build community and begin to see a brighter future for everybody.

The Victorian Government is providing food parcels for those in self-isolation through FoodBank and the Red Cross – call the hotline on 1800 675 398 for immediate support and referals. 

Darebin Community Canteen provides  food parcel collection on Fridays 9:30am – 11.00am and fresh meals  in containers available for collection from approximately 12.00pm-12:30pm onwards on Saturdays. 239A Murray Rd, Preston

Northern Community Careworks provides lunches Monday through Thursday from 12.30pm. 81 High St, Preston 

Resevoir Neighbourhood House provides a free lunch on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 12.00pm-1.00pm during school terms. 2C Cuthbert Rd, Reservoir 

Bridge Darebin provides Laneway Lunches on Fridays during school term at 218 High Street
Preston and Soul Kitchen Preston provides cooked meals – contact Bridge Darebin on 03 9484 5806

Darebin Council has released a $10 million package to assist residents in a number of ways, including financial assistance and increased support services, rates deferals and business support. Please find more information here. 

With thanks to our generous partners

About the technology

Biofilta

Biofilta are leaders in the Australian urban farming technology space and are passionate innovators and advocates in creating a sustainable food system. With their FoodCube wicking system, Biofilta enables home and professional gardeners to establish a higly productive and sustainable bed – with production based in Australia and made from recyclable materials. Our Food Justice Drive will use this technology to feed those in need – with your help we could be growing up to 25kg of food per year. Check out Biofilta’s incredible established garden projects here.