Sam Oakden’s Post

The Foodbank Hunger Report 2024 was released today, painting a concerning picture of inequality.  Nearly half (48%) of Australia’s low-income households (earning <$30,000 per year) are experiencing food insecurity, the highest rate since the onset of the cost-of-living crisis.   Single-parent households are the hardest hit, with over two thirds (69%) facing food insecurity and 41% experiencing the severest form, regularly skipping meals or going entire days without food. The food insecurity gap between regional and metropolitan areas is widening with 37% of households in regional areas now experiencing food insecurity, compared to 30% in metropolitan areas.  Another indication of the growing divide is that 46% of renters are now food insecure, compared with 30% of households with mortgages.    Concerningly, the report reveals that more than half (59%) of all food insecure households in Australia are now experiencing severe food insecurity, meaning they are not only compromising on what they are eating, but also how much and how often. This occurred in TWO MILLION households.   Foodbanks across Australia are grappling with historically high demand for food relief, with more than half (53%) of food insecure households seeking food relief accessing it more often than they did a year ago.    Having weathered the Black Summer bushfires, COVID-19, cyclones and consecutive major flood events, we are experienced in preparing for and responding to disasters, be they natural or human-induced. This experience has taught us that recovery is long and complex and when a crisis hits, the most vulnerable in our communities suffer first, worst and for the longest. This is exactly what is playing out through the cost-of-living crisis.    We know recovery from the cost-of-living crisis will take years, not months, and we will continue to wrap our arms around our communities for as long as it takes, doing our part in getting nutritious, culturally appropriate food to as many food insecure households as possible. You can find the report at https://lnkd.in/ghrQ3Vy3. To those who continue to donate food, funds and time to Foodbank, thank you. We simply cannot do what we do without you. #foodinsecurity #charity #foodrelief #proudtobeafoodbanker #costofliving #costoflivingcrisis #SDG2 Foodbank Australia The Global FoodBanking Network

#AntiPovertyWeek - poverty results in food insecurity. This years Hunger Report from Foodbank Australia backs up what we hear from our community network of 1000+ partners. People on low incomes just can't afford housing and the cost-of-living crisis is hitting hard, the first thing that gets cut back is food. Thats why StreetSmart provides grants to smaller community based organisations to provide food pantries, community meals, emergency relief, food vouchers and more basic support. From the Hunger Report 2024: "Food relief charities are continuing to experience heightened demand, not only because of ongoing need in the community, but also due to an increasing awareness amongst those in food insecure households of where to seek support (47%, up 12% on 2023). 26% of food insecure households have accessed formal food relief in the past 12 months, up from 24% in 2023. This increase has been driven by those who are severely food insecure, 30% of whom have accessed help in 2024 vs 26% in 2023. Additionally, over half (53%) of food insecure households reported they are receiving food relief more often (either much more or somewhat more) than a year ago. The situation has become more desperate for many because family and friends, an important support net in the past, are now unable to help as they’re under strain themselves. Increasingly family and friends are no longer in a position to help fill the gap with only a quarter of food insecure households (25%) now receiving this help, down from a third (32%) in 2023. This makes the role of food relief organisations even more essential." https://lnkd.in/gmBxCn9g #poverty #foodrelief #foodinsecurity #homelessness

Join us for #Day4 of #AfricaEvidenceWeek2024 to learn more about evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) in #Africa. As part of the #AfEW2024 celebrations, you'll listen to a video from No Hunger Food Bank: https://lnkd.in/dQ59E4eq. Their mission is simple yet powerful - "to end hunger in our community." They believe that no one should go without access to nutritious food. That’s why they operate the Temporary Food Assistance Program (TFAP), which takes a two-pronged approach to fighting hunger. First, it rescues surplus food that would otherwise go to waste - from farms, manufacturers, retailers, and more. This food is then quickly distributed to needy families, ensuring it doesn’t end up in landfills. Second, TFAP provides temporary food assistance to those facing hard times, focusing on vulnerable communities. #LeaveNoOneBehind to build the #AfricaWeWant!

Hunger is on the rise. In 2023, the number of people facing hunger grew by 24 million. By July 2024, this number is predicted to double. Why? Because of 👇👇 ❌Rising conflict ❌Extreme weather events ❌Economic shocks This is a stark reminder that we must act NOW to end hunger. As a global community, we need to scale up solutions and invest in our food systems to effectively address this crisis and prevent it from worsening. It's time that we end hunger for everyone, everywhere, for good. Read more about the current food crisis▶️https://lnkd.in/e2fxAfAC #foodinsecurity #hungercrisis #famine

Today is World Hunger Day – a day to raise awareness about the global food crisis, and what we can do to help address it. Hunger is a global issue, but it also strikes very close to home here in Ottawa. 🌍 Increases in food prices and the general cost of living have left many of our neighbours struggling to put food on the table. A recent U of T report stated that almost 23% of Canadians are now food insecure, representing almost 8.7 million people in 2023, jumping up from 6.9 million people in 2022. We see this hunger through our food truck program, which now has 38 stops in underserved communities across Ottawa, handing out a shocking average of almost 10,000 meals per week in the process. But you can help! We’ve launched a corporate program, inviting organizations to support our food trucks and help prevent hunger within the communities that you serve. 💙 Your team can support a specific food truck stop or route near you, become a major gift partner, and more. We invite you to learn more about how you can help prevent hunger in our city: https://ow.ly/fNkl50RUnHa

Cambridge Food Bank is a member of Feed Ontario , the province's largest collective of hunger-relief organizations working together to end food insecurity in Ontario. The crisis-level increase in the number of Ontarians relying on food banks has stretched local hunger-relief organizations like ours to their limits, and Feed Ontario is working to help us meet the unprecedented surge in demand in our communities. Last year, Feed Ontario distributed over 7 million pounds of food to local organizations to help more than 800,000 Ontarians. Learn more about Feed Ontario and how we are working together to lead provincial hunger-relief efforts at https://feedontario.ca

🌍🍽️ Having food in the fridge is something we all take for granted. #WorldFoodDay reminds me of multiplying power that food security has on people faced with extreme poverty and malnutrition. At Mercy Corps, we are committed to long-term solutions for #FoodSecurity Why is this so important? Globally, extreme poverty and malnutrition are on the rise and #foodsystems are repeatedly failing to meet the food and nutrition needs of systematically marginalised populations facing the compounding effects of conflict and climate change. Without urgent action at scale, an estimated 840 million people – nearly 10% of the present global population – are projected to face food insecurity by 2030, with women and girls being the most vulnerable. And of course the countless numbers of people who already face immediate risks of starvation in the coming days, weeks and months ahead. Mercy Corps’ pathway to improved food security moves us closer to a world where people are well-nourished at all times, with access to sustainably produced, safe, and nutritious food. 🌱✨ Read more about Mercy Corps’ approach to food security here: https://lnkd.in/em3fC_Fw #RightToFood #FoodSecurity 

Well done, Team

Meet Bilikis, our passionate Food and Community Engagement Officer at No Hunger Food Bank. In her own words: “Every day, I see the devastating effects of hunger in our community. It’s not just a statistic; it’s a reality for too many families who struggle to put food on the table. Did you know that hunger affects 800 million people worldwide? This crisis is ravaging lives, stealing futures, and shattering dreams. At No Hunger Food Bank, we are committed to fighting this crisis head-on. Through our food recovery initiatives, we are working tirelessly to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry. But we cannot do this alone. We need your support to expand our efforts and reach those who most need it. Let’s unite to raise awareness, advocate for change, and take action against hunger. Together, we can make a difference and bring hope to vulnerable communities. Join us in this vital mission. Every voice, every action counts! #foodsecurity #nutritionsecurity

This year’s Foodbank Australia Hunger Report confirms that food insecurity in Australia has reached a critical point. Almost half of low-income households have faced food insecurity in 2024, the worst the situation has been since the cost-of-living crisis began. Read more in the report. #Foodbank #FoodInsecurity