Food For Families. Thanks to you.

Food For Families is a great way to get together and offer practical support to those who have fallen on trying times.

Uniting Food For Families

Every box you collect feeds a family in crisis.

Food For Families collects non-perishable food items like canned soup, packets of pasta and baked beans, as well as household essential items including personal hygiene and cleaning products to support those who need it most.

We connect with local communities through schools, kindergartens, congregations, workplaces, community groups, individuals and families to make a difference to those facing hardship.

Food, gifts and household essentials are distributed at our emergency relief programs, family services and outreach centres across Victoria and Tasmania.

Individuals and families are able to select food from our food pantry and choose the foods and items they need most when times are tough and bills stack up.

We also provide food that’s easy to prepare to people experiencing homelessness.

About Food for Families

Food For Families is a great way to get together to make a tangible difference to the lives of individuals and families experiencing hardship and crisis throughout the year.

Every day we dig deeper to provide support when people need it most. We want to support everyone who comes to us for help – but we can’t do it alone.

Together, we can help individuals and families put a meal on the table.

How it works

Donate

Non-perishable food and essential household items are donated.

Pack

Food and items packed into boxes or bags.

Collect

Donations are collected at the nearest Emergency Relief centre. Emergency Relief centre volunteers sort through donated food & items and stock the food pantries.

Support

People in crisis receive support and donated food items, thanks to you.

Success stories

Food for friends.

For most of the past 25 years, the 13 congregations have generously collected food to support their local community. ‘Food For Friends’ as they call it.

“Of all our programs, Food For Friends is the one which brings together all our churches to remember Christ’s teachings about helping others.” - Margery, Mt Waverley Uniting Church

For 17 years, Murrumbeena Primary School has been helping those in need put food on the table. Each year the school donates 25 to 30 boxes of food to Uniting’s Food For Families program which is distributed through our emergency relief centres.

“The children really get into it....The program opens the students’ eyes to helping other people, not just their own families." - Amanda, Murrumbeena Primary School

When Louise introduced the Food For Families program to her students at Buninyong Uniting Kindergarten, she never knew how widely popular it would become among families. Louise says the program has been a great way to teach her students about compassion.

“It was so popular we decided it was something we wanted to add to our program every year.” - Louise, Buninyong Uniting Kindergarten

One Christmas, Mary began collecting food because she realised that despite it being the time of year for giving, many people would still be missing out. Mary’s kind thought for others has inspired her own family.

“There are people out there doing it really tough right now. We need to band together and show our support.” - Mary

Every year the family look on Uniting’s Food For Families website, write a shopping list and do a big grocery shop. Tami then creates her own ‘advent’ calendar which tells the family each day what food item to put in the Food For Families box they are gradually filling.

I wanted to teach them Christmas is about giving...It’s about thinking of other people who might not be in a fortunate position. - Tami

In 2019, 73 tonnes of food and toiletries were pledged for individuals and families thanks to thousands of generous supporters like Michelle. Michelle has worked with at-risk youth in Hobart for over 10 years and sees firsthand how access to essentials like food and toiletries can help people through a …

“Community spirit is still strong, but people are time poor, especially leading up to Christmas. I figured if I co-ordinated things by dropping off and collecting boxes it would make it easier for people to donate.” - Michelle

Our partners

Proudly supported by

Our partners

Proudly supported by

In the news

Food for friends.

For most of the past 25 years, the 13 congregations have generously collected food to support their local community. ‘Food For Friends’ …
For 17 years, Murrumbeena Primary School has been helping those in need put food on the table. Each year the school donates …
When Louise introduced the Food For Families program to her students at Buninyong Uniting Kindergarten, she never knew how widely popular it …
One Christmas, Mary began collecting food because she realised that despite it being the time of year for giving, many people would …
Every year the family look on Uniting’s Food For Families website, write a shopping list and do a big grocery shop. Tami …
In 2019, 73 tonnes of food and toiletries were pledged for individuals and families thanks to thousands of generous supporters like Michelle. …
For many, Christmas time is deemed the “season of giving.” For the Academic and Medical Services team at Epworth HealthCare, the theme …
Eileen knows the importance of providing support to people in their time of need. “There are a growing number of people in …
Mount View Primary School has been participating in Food For Families for 23 years. And each year, the spirit of giving continues …