The Ballarat Foundation’s proposal for the Ballarat Food Security Centre will not be used for the project as the Labor government has allocated funding to food relief organisation Foodbank. 

“We will have nothing to do with the construction of it, that has been taken out of our hands,” Ballarat Foundation chief executive Matt Jenkins said. 

“The role we are now playing is an advisory role to the Labor government on how this might benefit the community.” 

The Ballarat Foundation advocated for $1.5 million funding in the lead up to the November state election to help bring their plans to reality; a project that included a food distribution warehouse, a food retail social enterprise delivering skills training and employment for vulnerable youth, a commercial kitchen for production of meals and training and a community grocer providing food relief packages.

READ MORE Ballarat Foundation releases plans for Ballarat Food Security Centre

But following the funding allocation, Foodbank, not the Ballarat Foundation, will deliver the project. 

The Ballarat food security project will be the first Foodbank hub in regional Victoria, with Victoria’s main food distribution warehouse in Yarraville. 

The organisation has also secured $5 million to construct a warehouse in Morwell.

Ballarat Foundation chief executive Matt Jenkins says he is waiting on further detail of the Ballarat project, but will be disappointed if it did not include long-term preventative solutions to food insecurity. 

“We are very grateful for the generous donation.. but our concerns are around what it is going to mean for Ballarat and if the work the community had gotten behind is likely to come to life,” he said. 

“We are keen to work with Labor to ensure the right outcome for Ballarat happens and it is not just an interim solution, but a solution that is going to allow Ballarat to solve food insecurity for future generations.” 

“The distribution hub has always only been a critical first step. It is very important. We need that supply of food to increase and we need that warehouse and the logistical know how of an organisation like Foodbank to make it all happen. But it was never the end goal.

“Food security is a really complex multi dimensional challenge that will take generations to shift. If we look at it from the view of a three year of four year election cycle we are not going to shift the goal posts. We really need to make sure all of the long term factors have been considered.

“We are disappointed we won’t be able to bring our vision to life, but we are excited that we can work with the Labor party to still get something that is the right solution for the community.”

With $5 million state government funding for food insecurity in Ballarat already secured, the Ballarat Foundation will change its fundraising focus. 

“We are really grateful to the Ballarat community for getting behind this issue,” Mr Jenkins said.

“We will pivot to something else of significant importance to our community, whether that be housing or something else we would love the community to shift their momentum from food and come on that journey with us.”

The Ballarat Foundation will announce its new fundraising focus in the new year. 

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