Not-for-profit organisation Harvest Ministry of Food is helping to fill the bellies of those in need, but volunteers are hoping to improve a whole of community approach to food insecurity.
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The organisation is one of many in Ballarat providing charitable food relief services to more than 12 per cent of Ballarat’s population who experience food insecurity.
Volunteers provide a three course meal to between 20 and 40 guests each Thursday and offer free fruit, vegetables and non-perishable items at the centre’s food bank on Friday.
Harvest Ministry of Food volunteer Jessica Harris said her family started the service more than four years ago with a long term vision to do more than feed hungry stomachs.
“There is a lot more underlying needs that need to be met to actually make that real difference in these people’s lives,” she said.
It is hard because you can spend the time getting to know a person and really finding out about them and their problems, but we can’t fix them all here.
- Jessica Harris, Harvest Ministry of Food volunteer
“Ultimately my husband’s vision was to be able to work with community so if someone is struggling with addiction or maybe finances, we can say there is a place that can help you with that.
“We can’t address that need here in this kind of environment, but if people are starting to get familiar with us we could recommend them to people that we know can meet that deeper need.”
A Monash University report released in April titled Food Insecurity in Ballarat found those accessing charitable food relief experienced difficulty knowing what and where other services were available and their opening hours.
The report, which surveyed 100 people accessing charitable food relief in Ballarat, recommended ‘increased coordination between services to provide a holistic care for clients’.
It also recommended providing ‘current information on other services location and opening hours’.
The Food Access Network, a collaboration of Ballarat organisations working to tackle food insecurity, was established in 2017.
One of the network’s priorities was to share information and resources about food relief initiatives in Ballarat.
The group will meet in coming weeks to discuss future plans, following the release of the food insecurity report, film and the announcement a Foodbank warehouse will be built in Ballarat.
Meanwhile, the Ballarat Foundation is raising community support for a united effort to reduce food insecurity through the Feed Ballarat Appeal.
Community members can support the cause by donating, fundraising, advocating for the campaign, using the hashtag #feedballarat, or volunteering.
Visit https://feedballarat.org/.
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Rochelle Kirkham
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
