HOUSEHOLDS experiencing food insecurity are increasingly reporting they are cutting meal sizes or skipping meals as Ballarat continues to wait for details on the city's most important food relief project.
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Foodbank's annual hunger report, released on Monday, makes the clear cost-of-living crisis and inadequate welfare payments are fuelling food insecurity. More than two-thirds of severely food insecure Australian households are reporting they were skipping meals more this year than last while more than one-third of moderately food insecure households were eating less.
Major details for a Foodbank Ballarat hub remain yet to be confirmed, almost four years after a state government election pledge to tackle food insecurity across the region. The Courier understands planning for the massive food relief centre was well under way.
In response to The Courier's query on the Foodbank hub's progression, a government spokesperson said "the government was continuing to support Foodbank Victoria to deliver vital food relief hubs in Ballarat and Morwell".
This rising pressure on households continues to be keenly felt by the city's frontline welfare organisations that have repeatedly stepped up community calls for help during the pandemic, largely via the annual 3BA Winter and Christmas appeals.
Salvation Army Ballarat's John Clonan said welfare demand was "pretty consistent" this month, coming out of winter and ahead of the festive period.
"It's all consistent with the rising cost of living ... People are struggling with fuel costs and winter energy bills have started coming in," Mr Clonan said. "This is another thing we have to navigate but the Ballarat community is very, very generous and one thing we can look forward to is relying on their generosity again this Christmas."
Registrations for families seeking support from the Ballarat Christmas Appeal open in a fortnight's time.
Mr Clonan said the Salvation Army put out what extra food it could, mostly bread and vegetables, for people at no cost and would have a financial counsellor soon working five days a week to help people tackle systemic issues in money.
More than half of people who live in food insecurity experience this more than monthly and 61 per cent of people report the experience lasted for less than a week each time, according to Foodbank's Hunger Report.
Demand for food relief in Ballarat soared through the coronavirus pandemic, with almost one third of people accessing food relief experiencing food insecurity for the first time, according to 2020 Foodbank data.
This was reflected in what frontline welfare agencies have been experiencing.
Mr Clonan said there was yet to be felt any significant impacts from last week's flooding in Creswick and towns across the district.
He said volunteers were always welcome to help.
Anyone wanting to make a difference can donate to the annual Ballarat Christmas Appeal, run by The Ballarat Foundation. While the appeal officially launches early next month, The Ballarat Foundation has opened donations via its website: ballaratfoundation.org.au
Ballarat Christmas Appeal supports Salvation Army, St Vincent De Paul, Uniting Ballarat and Anglicare.
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