Helpful resources for your collection.
Food For Families is a great way to get together to make a tangible difference to the lives of individuals and families experiencing hardship throughout the year. Our helpful resources are designed to assist you to make the most of your collection.
Food For Families
Get the best out of your collection.
Make your collection count:
- Get others involved, pull together a group to brainstorm ideas
- Challenge people to give more. Do something a little different every day
- Share the message on social media – many people don’t realise how urgently food is needed within their community. Don’t forget to tag Uniting Vic.Tas and use #FoodForFamilies
- Make sure everyone has got the shopping list and knows what to donate – email it, share a photo on social media, print leaflets for reception or put it on the noticeboard
- Put your Food For Families boxes and posters somewhere prominent – by the lifts, in reception or in the kitchen.
Spread the word:
- Use your social networks, speak to family, friends and work mates to get involved
- Print out some posters and display them at your work, school or office. You can find these below.
- Share your success stories by emailing them to us at [email protected] or posting them on your social media - don’t forget to include the hashtag #FoodForFamilies in your posts.
Fun ideas:
- Ask people to bring packaged food to your party instead of gifts or party food
- Hold a street party – get to know your neighbours; one box per household? Ask people to bring a bag each
- Hold an event (e.g. bowling, trivia, games etc. night) and everyone donates $10, then go shopping or gather together and shop online
- Hold challenges, set a goal or create competitions
- Use our reverse advent calendar – instead of receiving a treat each day, add an item to a box to create a hamper for a family doing it tough.
If you would specifically like to donate food but cannot reach one of our drop off points, you may wish to do an online supermarket order. Before doing this, please call your nearest drop off point to discuss the most needed items and best time for delivery to occur.
Alternatively, you can purchase and send a supermarket (IGA, Coles or Woolworths) gift card for Uniting’s Emergency Relief team to do the shopping for you.
Promotional resources
School promotional resources
Workplace promotional resources
Community promotional resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 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.
Food For Families is a program to collect food and other essential items for families and individuals in crisis.
Food For Families has been running for over 30 years. Getting involved is a great way to get people together and give back to the community.
Where does the donated food go?
All food, gifts and household essentials donated go directly to people in crisis who access our pantries at our Emergency Relief centres across Victoria and Tasmania. Families can select food from our food pantries when times get tough and bills stack up. We also provide food that’s easy to prepare to people who are experiencing homeless.
What else does Uniting Vic.Tas do?
Providing material aid isn’t all we offer, people and families can access a range of other supports such as financial counselling, no-interest loans, case management, housing support and family violence services.
Learn more about Uniting’s services.
How can I get involved?
1. Register to join our Food For Families team and donate food and essential items all year round
2. Make a monetary donation to directly support people experiencing vulnerability and needing access to food. Our services can purchase and distribute the most needed items on your behalf
3. Help stock our pantries throughout the year by becoming a regular supporter by donating a monthly gift. $30 a month – just $1 a day – allows us to provide a shopping bag of groceries to families in crisis.
What kind of food can I collect?
We need donations of non-perishable items, personal hygiene and household essentials. Examples include:
- Pasta, rice and noodles
- Flour, polenta and couscous
- Tinned tomatoes, pasta sauces
- Beans, chickpeas and lentils
- Tinned tuna, salmon and ham
- Soups, curries and tinned vegetables
- Baby food, nappies and formula
- Spreads – e.g. jam, Vegemite
- Long life milk and cheese
- Tea, coffee, Milo and sugar
- Stir fry sauces and soy sauce
- Coconut milk and coconut cream
- Breakfast cereal and muesli bars
- Toothpaste and toothbrushes
- Shampoo, conditioner and soap.
We can’t accept:
- Donations of perishable food like frozen meals
- Food that is past or close to its use by date (i.e. within three months)
- Opened jars or other partially used food.
If you receive donations of fresh, open, or out-of date food, we ask that you dispose of them responsibly before passing your collection on to us.
Can I donate gifts?
Yes, we accept gifts, and they are extremely appreciated by the families that we support. Families greatly appreciate gift vouchers for stores like JB Hi-Fi, EB Games, so parents can choose what they give their children.
Any tips for creating a big collection?
- Share amongst your friends, family and colleagues
- Organise an office competition where everyone donates food
- Ask people to bring packaged food to your party instead of gifts or party food
- Hold an event (e.g. bowling, trivia, games etc. night) and everyone donates $10, then go shopping or gather together and shop online
- Hold a street party – get to know your neighbours; bring a bag of donations each.
Do you have any material available to help me promote Food For Families?
We have a number of resources to help you promote your Food For Families collection, including posters and a suggested shopping list.
Don’t forget social media. Please use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn as much as you can to showcase your Food For Families collection and ideas, and add #FoodForFamilies.
How do I donate the collected goods?
Find your nearest drop off point and drop off your collection within open hours.
Metro businesses or schools – If you have a large donation and can’t get to a drop-off point, please contact us for assistance.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1800 668 426
How do I use stickers on my own bags/boxes?
If you’re using your own bags or boxes to donate, write your registration ID and number of bags/boxes on the stickers provided. Then stick the sticker on the outside of your bag/box before you drop off your donation. Watch our video on how to use stickers.
You can use any cardboard box or bags that you already own, including fabric tote bags, paper bags and plastic bags. Be careful not to overfill them so they don’t break.
If you have multiple bags/boxes, you need to complete a sticker for each one. For example, if you have 3 bags, you need to write bag ‘1 of 3’, ‘2 of 3’ and ‘3 of 3’ on the respective stickers.
What if I run out of stickers or boxes?
Call us on 1800 668 426 or email [email protected] and we can send you more or just make sure you add your own label with your participant ID onto any boxes/bags you return.
What if I have a large donation? What do I do?
Please contact us and we will assist.
Phone 1800 668 426 or email [email protected].
I don’t want to collect food. How can I make a donation or raise money?
To donate or become a regular supporter of Food For Families, visit our donations page. You can also call us on 1800 668 426 or email [email protected] if you wish to hold an event to raise money.
I need food/gifts for myself, my family. Where can I go?
We understand that not everyone can afford to donate to others. We’re sorry to hear about your situation. AskIzzy has the most comprehensive list of emergency relief services across Australia.
Wanting to make a contribution?
If you are looking for other ways to help, please consider making a donation so that we can purchase the items most needed to restock our pantries. Call Supporter Services on 1800 668 426 or donate online.
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