Meet Elisseo, our Friendliest Staff Member!

“I started as a casual forklift driver and then soon after a position came up as Warehouse Manager, and here I am”.

Was Foodbank what you expected?

Foodbank definitely exceeded my expectations. I came into this role as a casual and didn’t think it would be a long-term thing. But then I saw what we do here, how we affect people’s lives, and it became so much more than just a job. I really enjoy what we do here – the drive-thru’s, seeing people come in and drop off food donations – it gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling.

What does it feel like when you tell people you work at Foodbank?

It gives me a great sense of pride. The minute I mention Foodbank everyone says “Oh Foodbank! I’ve heard about them, they do really good work”. I’m very proud of the work we do here.

What is it like working side by side with volunteers?

It’s great – it’s still hard for me to get my head around the fact that there are people out there that are so selfless that they will come in here week after week and not only do their role, but do it well. They take real pride in what they’re doing.

What is something people might not know about Foodbank?

Although people know who we get our food to, I don’t think people realise that we are an actual warehouse. There’s a whole element of logistics that goes on behind the scenes with a lot of moving parts: we have trucks, vans, pop-up markets, lots of different programs. But we have an incredible team who get all these intricate moving pieces into place – from a logistics perspective alone, it’s amazing.

Is there anything you would like to say to our wonderful supporters?

Trust in us, and we will make that magic happen and get meals on tables to the people who need it. It makes me emotional to think of everything that has been donated so far, without the support of our donors none of this would be possible.