By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Foodbank’s “mini supermarket” on wheels has provided much-needed food relief to Doveton College families.
Twice a term, the purple bus emblazoned with bright murals rolls up to the school.
About 180 families line up for the free pick of fridges of dairy and zaatar bread and shelves of fruit, veg and other healthy food staples.
Any leftover food is distributed at the college at the end of the day.
Doveton College principal Debra Gibson said Foodbank are “amazing”.
“The school community are grateful because they clearly need it with the rising cost of living,” she said.
“Anything we can do to help is a good thing.”
The bus also visits Hallam College as well as other schools across Melbourne.
Foodbank programs co-ordinator Kylie McKinlay said the service aims to reach out to communities not linked to food relief services.
“Food costs are skyrocketing,” she said.
“This is to get them through until the next time they shop.”
Foodbank also supplies 500 agencies and breakfast clubs at more than 1000 schools including Doveton College.
The bus is feeding 50 per cent more Doveton families than when it started in late 2021.
Regional manager Emma O’Connor said there has been up to a 35 per cent increase in food relief demand in the past six months.
“Our agencies who put food hampers together are cutting back from weekly to fortnightly because there are so many people demanding help,” she said.
