Casey Council has hosted a civic event to recognise the emergency food relief providers tackling an entrenched cost-of-living crisis.
The event ties in with the council’s new food security advocacy program for greater funding and support for organisations such as OzHarvest, Transit Soup Kitchen and Casey North Community Information and Support Services (CISS).
It follows the 2024 Annual Household Survey that revealed 40 per cent of Casey’s residents had experienced food insecurity in the last 12 months.
Casey mayor Stefan Koomen called for systemic change to tackle rising cost of living that often leads to food insecurity.
“These numbers are confronting,” he said.
“But Casey has one of the largest and diverse food relief programs.”
Michelle Pinxt, who works at Transit Soup Kitchen in Narre Warren, says the soup kitchen works as both a ‘sit down’ meal service twice a week and fresh groceries distribution which runs three times a week.
The sit down meals aim to combat the isolation associated with food insecurity, bringing a sense of community and the opportunity to form relationships.
“We often have people that are completely isolated, whether they’re homeless… or pensioners who haven’t spoken to anyone else all week,” she said.
“There’s a whole array of people that just need a friendly ear, a table and a three course hot meal with a cup of tea, just to chat.”
Transit has also recently expanded their services in various areas by working with different agencies and organisations.
“Often, the biggest challenge isn’t just knowing what support exists, it’s being able to access it.
“Many of our guests face complex issues like homelessness, domestic violence, mental health challenges, or visa uncertainty.
“By bringing agencies like Centrelink, Monash Health, Peninsula Community Legal Centre, NDIS coordinators, My Aged Care, Optometrists…directly into Transit, we’re able to create a single, trusted point of connection.
“There’s no paperwork to navigate, no red tape, no need to book weeks in advance, people can sit down and have a conversation in a space where they already feel safe and supported.”
But despite the extra support, Pinxt says Transit has seen a significant increase in demand for food relief assistance in the last six months.
And with the cost of living, the growing need is not being adequately met.
Helen Small, who is chief executive at CISS, also says a lack of funding is the main challenge in food emergency relief as demand continues to grow.
“People are coming in dire need… and the increase in homelessness is frightening,” Small said.
Both Small and Pinxt agree a greater effort is needed to improve the unpredictability of food input and distribution.
Ozharvest’s Melbourne manager Christine Crowley, who was also at the council event, says there needs to be greater transparency in how food relief organisations can help each other.
Pinxt championed this call, saying that there needs to be an “ecosystem of support”, where the strengths, knowledge and expertise of each organisation are able to be platformed and shared with each other.
“Everyone can bring something to the table, no matter what size of a food bank… knowledge and resources combined are much more powerful,” Pinxt said.
Along with awareness raising and urging the State and Commonwealth Government for greater funding, Casey plans to host two roundtable events in 2026 to bring together food relief providers to collectively problem solve.
