Our story

Foodbank is Australia’s largest food relief organisation, providing food and groceries to charities and school breakfast programs in every state and territory. As a proud member of the Global Foodbanking Network, we are dedicated to developing foodbanking around the world.

New South Wales & Australian Capital Territory (NSW & ACT)

Foodbanking was brought to Australia by Jeanne Rockey AM, who had seen a food bank in Los Angeles in 1991. She pitched the idea to her close friend, founding philanthropist Charles Scarf. In 1992 he established the Sydney Foodbank in partnership with John Perrottet and St Vincent De Paul, with generous donations from notable figures including Frank Lowy, David and Colleen McIntosh and the NSW Labor Government.

In 1995 Sydney Foodbank was renamed Foodbank NSW. In 2014 it became Foodbank NSW & ACT.

Western Australia (WA)

Foodbank WA was established in 1994 by an initiative backed by donations from Lotteries Commission of Western Australia and Rio Tinto. In addition to a purpose-built facility at Perth Airport, Foodbank WA  operates distribution centres in Albany, Bunbury, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Mandurah.

Queensland (QLD)

In 1995 Foodbank Queensland was founded by Clem Jones AO, Ian Brusasco AO AM and David Muir AM to address the critical food relief needs affecting Queenslanders. Foodbank Queensland quickly scaled up to achieve significant volume by working closely with fruit and vegetable farmers in the state.

South Australia & Northern Territory (SA & NT)

In 2000, Foodbank SA was launched by the Governor of South Australia, The Honourable Sir Eric James Neal AC. It has Foodbank Food Hubs in Edwardstown, Christies Beach, Berri, Davoren, Murray Bridge, Woodville, Ceduna and Alice Springs, as well as branches in Mount Gambier, Whyalla, Riverland

Victoria (VIC)

In Victoria material aid and food relief had commenced in 1930, with the State Relief Committee responding to widespread distress caused by the Great Depression. In 2006, the then Victorian Relief Committee merged with Foodbank to become VicRelief Foodbank. It formally changed its name to Foodbank Victoria in 2011.

Tasmania (TAS)

In 2010, philanthropist Jan Cameron donated a 10-year lease on a warehouse and along with a grant from the Tasmanian Government Foodbank Tasmania was established in Hobart. In 2017 it opened a facility in Devonport.