Kiah’s story

Making it a Foodbank WA Christmas

Meeting Kiah, it’s impossible not to be drawn in by her radiant warmth and unshakable positivity. A loving mother of three and skilled venue manager, she is the last person you’d imagine facing food insecurity, but life delivered some unexpected challenges that saw her fostering her two nieces and supporting her elderly diabetic father. This is when Kiah turned to us for help. 

“I was working as a full-time venue manager but because I’m fostering the two girls as well as my own three children, I’ve had to reduce my hours. I’m not on my good salary anymore, I’m just getting wages, and hours are a little scarce, so things have changed financially for us,” Kiah shared. 

Like many Western Australian families, Kiah has a lot of outgoing compared to her incoming. Her rent is $530 a week and she spends $200 a week on fuel to travel to work and back. It doesn’t leave a lot leftover for food.  

“If we weren’t going to Foodbank, we’d be living off chips, 79 cent biscuits, and 50 cent wafers. We just wouldn’t be getting the quality I’m able to offer the girls by shopping with Foodbank.” 

Thankfully, no matter what, Kiah knows she can always come to our Perth warehouse and afford fresh, healthy food for her children. “It’s been absolutely invaluable to us to keep it reasonable for the food budget. I don’t know how I’d survive feeding six people in this climate without it,” she shared.

Every day we help families like Kiah’s. The cost-of-living crisis has seen the need for food relief soar and we are helping 230 more households every day than last year.

Our commitment is to make a difference in the lives of families like Kiah’s, ensuring they have access to nutritious food and the support they need during challenging times. If you or someone you know would benefit from our services, please reach out. We’re here to help.