Well, we certainly started the year thinking it would go very differently, but in reflection, all the challenges of 2021 are overshadowed by the many positive strides we’ve made in our core mission: alleviate food insecurity in Australia.

It’s been a big year for us at Food For Change, we’ve opened a new farm, welcomed new sponsors, expanded our initiatives in a variety of ways and continued to accelerate how many hungry Australians we are able to feed.

We’re thrilled to say that since our inception we have grown, rescued and provided almost 1.5
million meals to those who need support.

Let’s just say that again, 1.5 million.

It’s a major milestone, we’re so proud to talk about. That said, we didn’t achieve this alone. We are so thankful to all the volunteers, corporate partners and supporters who have made this happen.

So with that in mind, here’s a quick review of the year, and why 2021 – you really weren’t so bad after all.

Food for Change grew big time with the opening of Briars Farm
With an army of more than 40 volunteers, Food For Change was able to open it’s secondary location – Briars Farm – in May of this year. Building on the momentum of South Clayton, Briars Farm on the Morning Peninsula is providing vulnerable communities in the South Eastern region and Frankston with nutritious, safe and versatile fruits, vegetables and herbs.

Chosen as an area susceptible to food insecurity, we opened the farm with the aim to provide over 50,0000 meals to local residents, to double that by the second year and reach a quarter million meals by the third. We’re pleased to say we’re well on track to achieving these goals.

We delivered a monthly food box program, and expanded it across new territories
Starting firstly in Victoria, before expanding into New South Wales and now the Australian Capital Territory, our Monthly Food Box subscriptions have been shifting the way the nation shops for fresh food. The best part – each food box helps Food For Change provide 50 meals to those in desperate need, helping us alleviate hunger for some of the millions of Australians who seek food relief each year.

For those not already familiar, here’s how our monthly food box subscriptions work. You get 9kg of fresh seasonal produce, priced to match your standard grocery store shop, and delivered free of charge to your door once a month.

If you’re not already subscribed, what are you waiting for? Order Today!

We planted a new initiative called “Seeds for Change”
Our team developed a range of seeds for each season that can be grown anywhere in Australia. Each packet contains three varieties of seeds and only costs $6.95, with 100 percent of the profits going to feed hungry Australians. As part of the program, each packet sold is also matched by Food For Change as a donation back to community groups who share our hunger relief goals. The seasonal packets within the range currently include:

1. Spring: beetroot, chives and lettuce
2. Summer: cucumber, basil and tomato
3. Autumn: carrot, broccoli and cauliflower
4. Winter: chard, parsley and onion

Get growing your very own vegetables and herbs here.

Veolia’s support continued to grow into amazing new initiatives
As part of our extended partnership, Veolia is turning waste into compost and supplying it to our farms. This serves as rich fertiliser for our crops without the use of chemical sprays or synthetic fertilisers. It’s an opportunity that will help us continue to provide even more of the healthiest, freshest, highest quality of fruit and vegetables to vulnerable members of our community.

The good news doesn’t stop there either. In addition to providing us with compost, our partnership also involves the development of Veolia Orchard. Veolia Orchard is a new branch within the company’s Future Resources Program, which aims to
educate young people about recycling and waste by challenging students to create innovative solutions to sustainability issues. The orchard will include an initial 140 fruit trees planted, as well as an extra tree for every school that participates in Future Resources.

So what does this mean for Food For Change? A whopping 30,000 meals a year can be provided to community members in need, which over the 30 year life of each tree, will equate to more than a million much-needed meals. Our partnership with Veolia will have an enormous impact on the community and we are so grateful to be able to collaborate on this incredible initiative to alleviate food waste, educate those around us, and end food insecurity in Australia.

We’re planting positive seeds for the year to come
It’s been one of the biggest years on record for Food For Change, all while juggling further lockdowns and challenges. But we made it, and we came out with multiple new programs, support and capabilities to extend our services to even more Australians facing food insecurity.

So to all who have contributed to our success this year, we say thank you, and here’s to an even bigger, brighter and more abundant 2022.