More than a meal: How support helps rebuild lives.

Anne* arrived at Uniting’s services during one of the hardest times in her life.

Newly arrived in Australia, she found herself alone with a newborn baby. She had fled a violent relationship and was now trying to start again in an unfamiliar country.

“I was fearing for my life,” says Anne. “The abuse he was putting me through was too much.”

Without family, friends, or a support network to lean on she also carried the weight of postnatal depression.

“I was on my own,” says Anne. “To deal with a newborn baby and being a first-time mum … it was really, very stressful.”

Struggling with the financial strain of raising her child alone, Anne found that her income support barely stretched to cover the bills.

Luckily, she found Uniting, and Food For Families offered her the practical support she needed to find her footing again.

“It covered my needs and my baby’s needs – milk, nappies, even little things like crackers that children love,” says Anne.

Thanks to her local service’s variety of foods, Anne could share her heritage with her baby, helping them stay connected to their culture in Australia.

“Even though we may not be back home, this food can give us a sense of home,” she says.

Beyond putting food on the table, this support gave Anne the confidence to start moving forward.

“The biggest thing was getting myself back,” she says. “Reminding myself that I am strong. I can do this. I am more than enough.”

Anne shared her message of appreciation to those donating to Food For Families.

“Thank you for being supporters of this wonderful program. It makes a lot of difference … helping us to live without worry,” she says.

“It’s a huge relief to someone with limited support and income … getting to put even one meal on the table. It makes a big difference.”

Register now to collect food for families like Anne’s. 

*This is a true story about real people. Some details such as names have been changed to respect the wishes of the person featured. The photo accompanying this story is for illustrative purposes only. It is not a photo of the person featured in this story.

Victoria Police tackle food insecurity.

The Corporate and Regulatory Services Women in Policing Local Committee (WIPLC) at Victoria Police participated in Uniting’s Food For Families initiative for the first time last year, with the entire committee eager to be involved in a cause that directly supports community.
 
The WIPLC representatives were particularly drawn to Uniting as it offered the opportunity to give back locally, near the Victoria Police Centre in Docklands, while also providing the flexibility to organise a collection in a way that suited them best.
 
To maximise engagement, donation boxes were placed on every floor of their building, extending participation beyond just the committee members. Alex, who coordinated the Victoria Police’s effort, was grateful for the overwhelming support, with colleagues rallying together to contribute.
 
While the committee traditionally supports initiatives focused on women’s issues, last year’s rising cost of living was a challenge affecting everyone. Ensuring people had food on the table was a cause they couldn’t overlook.
 
Alex also appreciated how seamless the process was with the Food For Families team. Their donation boxes arrived the very next day after registering, allowing them to focus entirely on gathering donations without worrying about logistics.

Corporate responsibility in action.

For more than 30 years it has been Ratio Consultants’ job to care about people and communities.
 
Shaping our cities and neighbourhoods through planning, urban design, transport, landscape architecture and waste management, corporate responsibility is embedded in the organisation’s very ethos.
 
That’s why when Hayley, Associate at Ratio, happened upon Uniting’s Food For Families program she knew it was a perfect fit.
 
The company now celebrates a decade partnering with Uniting to donate food and non-perishable items to be distributed at our emergency relief programs, family services and outreach centres across Victoria and Tasmania.
 
“It’s such a great feeling … dropping the donations off … it’s one of my favourite days of the year,” says Hayley.
 
Each year Ratio’s contribution grows significantly. Last Christmas the company donated over 15 boxes.
 
Hayley encourages participation by sharing past successes, setting new goals and stressing the importance of donations. Staff can participate by donating items themselves or contributing financially via PayPal. Hayley’s colleague, Director Blanche Manuel, then uses financial contributions to purchase the food donations.
 
Hayley hopes to continue Ratio and Food For Families partnership well into the future. She has even considered establishing a year-round food donation program, believing that supporting those in need shouldn’t be limited to Christmas, as hardship can happen anytime.
 
“We’re fortunate to be able to put food on our table, but at the same time, at the blink of an eye, everything could change,” says Hayley.
 
Hayley stresses the impact even small contributions can make. Be that a packet of pasta, a can of soup or a bag of rice.
 
It is thanks to compassionate people like Hayley and the team at Ratio, that we can continue to help individuals and families, providing them with care, compassion and practical support in moments of crisis and hardship.