Source: St Vincent De Paul Society Media Release
The National Council of the St Vincent de Paul Society welcomes the release this week of the Foodbank Hunger Report: The reality of the food crisis in Australia, which provides a snapshot of the country’s hunger crisis.
National President, Claire Victory said food security has been a growing issue in Australia but that the pandemic has exacerbated the problem and provides a sharp focus on the lived experience of many people. The Society has worked closely with Foodbank across Australia when responding to food insecurity in these times.
‘Vinnies members work in local communities right across Australia, visiting people in their homes and taking calls from people who need a hand, some for the first time in their lives.
‘Many people are ashamed because they have to ask for help. We saw this through the drought initiative, where people who had never asked for help, were very grateful for sorely needed government support.
‘This Foodbank report provides evidence about the state of food insecurity for so many Australians. It should inspire the nation’s leaders to take a compassionate view of what’s happening in their local electorates.
‘The report shows that uncertain access to food affects Australians from all walks of life and that one in three people struggling to meet their food needs are new to the situation.
‘And far from the stereotype, 64 percent of people who experience food insecurity have a job.
‘We know that one in six Australians haven’t had enough to eat in the last year and that 1.2 million children went hungry in the last year.
We acknowledge and thank Foodbank and other charitable food organisations for the valuable role they play during the COVID-19 pandemic. We encourage the Commonwealth to continue to support these services so that families who are struggling to survive in the post-pandemic environment do not go hungry.
The report shows:
- One in six Australian adults haven't had enough to eat in the last year
- 1.2 million children have gone hungry in the last year
- Two in five people seeking food relief do not get enough for their household’s needs
- More than half of people impacted by severe food insecurity go a whole day every week without eating
- 64% of food-insecure Australians have a job
- Foodbank provides food relief to more than a million people each month
A copy of the report is available here
The St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia consists of 60,000 members who operate on the ground through over 1,000 groups located in local communities across the country.