By Helen McKenzie Fairlie
Driving through the Grieve Parade roundabout along Kororoit Creek Road towards the M1 freeway daily, I have watched an empty parcel of industrial land gradually become transformed by the construction of a giant warehouse that finally, proudly, bears the title ‘Foodbank’.
‘Hunger cannot be ignored and justice requires that resources, wealth, and opportunity be evenly distributed among the members of our society.’ That was the vision that inspired the Hon El Kiernan MLC, in 1930, to gather a group of prominent Victorians, during the Great Depression, form the State Relief Committee (Foodbank’s predecessor) and organise the distribution of material assistance to Victorians in need.
Having entered Foodbank’s vast warehouse, to attend its official opening, I found myself among several Victorian dignitaries including the Governor of Victoria and Patron of Foodbank Victoria, Professor Margaret Gardner AC, state politicians, the Mayor of Hobsons Bay, Councillor Diana Grima, Foodbank’s CEO Dave McNamara, and members of the Foodbank Board. The guests also included representatives of Foodbank’s community and charity partners, two Seabrook Primary School students and a cohort of faithful Foodbank volunteers.
Opening Foodbank’s new Altona facility, Professor Gardner, the Governor and Patron of Foodbank Victoria, spoke about the prevalence of food insecurity and the growing need that has been the catalyst for the larger Altona warehouse that will help feed people throughout Victoria. “What you do ensures that caring hands reach out to those in need all across Victoria. Today 76,000 Victorians will sit down for a meal they might otherwise have missed.”
Dave McNamara, Foodbank CEO and MC, gave us some insight into how Foodbank operates by sourcing, rescuing, and purchasing essential food and grocery items to nourish disadvantaged communities, and schools from Malacoota to Mildura, Warrnambool to Wodonga.
Finally, the Governor cut the giant purple ribbon spanning the warehouse entry and declared the warehouse officially open, assisted by two Seabrook Primary School students and Jessie Deane, CEO of Yarraville Community Centre.
A cup of delicious pumpkin soup made by Morwell volunteers, was followed by a guided tour of the new facility. We witnessed the scope of Foodbank’s operation and the breadth of its vision – that all Victorians have the right to access healthy food. After walking past row upon row of floor to ceiling metal shelving that ran the length of the warehouse, we reached incoming produce being sorted and packed by volunteers, before entering the cool room where innumerable cartons of milk and other perishable goods were stored. Finally we emerged at the back of the warehouse, where Foodbank’s fleet of purple trucks were parked, waiting to be loaded up and sent out across Victoria. Dave proudly introduced us to ‘Dorothy’ one of the two purple buses that travel to disadvantaged communities across the state. The other supermarket bus ‘Dave’ (named after Foodbank’s CEO Dave) was currently out on the road.
Here at Foodbank Victoria’s Altona facility, there is real evidence that many Victorians willingly share some of their world with others.
