Local Foodbank Helps Families During the Cost of Living Crisis

Dozens of volunteers are rolling up their sleeves to help put food on the table for families in their community

Story by  
April 22, 2025

In 1995, nine local Christian churches came together to start the Combined Churches Caring Melton (CCCM) foodbank. With the support of Centrelink and Melton City Council, the foodbank was established to address the growing need for food relief within the community. Almost three decades later, the foodbank continues to do just that.

CEO Michelle started her work with the foodbank back in 2021, when the state was going in and out of lockdown. During this time, there was an increased number of people in the community turning to the foodbank for assistance. “Surprisingly,” Michelle says, “the number of people accessing our services has skyrocketed this year - the cause most likely being the increased cost of living. We even have full-time workers coming in, which is alarming to see. Even people who are working full time are struggling to meet the needs of their expenses.”

Shelf items at the foodbank, including nut bars, mint slices and canned goods

"Even people who are working full time are struggling to meet the needs of their expenses.”

There’s no doubt that the team at the foodbank are doing incredible work, especially to accommodate for the influx of new and returning clients. While Michelle oversees the overall management of the foodbank, she credits much of their results to the hard work of the volunteers. Currently, there are about 70 active volunteers that rotate over the five weekdays that they are open. There are all kinds of tasks that the volunteers here might do, from picking up donations from supermarkets, to sorting through and shelving produce, or greeting the clients who come in. The CCCM Op Shop next door is also volunteer-run, and 100% of their proceeds go back into the foodbank. It’s obvious that these volunteers are dedicated and passionate about what they do, and it speaks volumes about the power of community here in Melton.

Foodbank volunteers posing for a group photo in the foodbank

"It’s not just the food that we’re helping with – we’re helping them emotionally and spiritually"

As for who can access the services at the foodbank, anyone who is living within the City of Melton and has a Health Care Card is eligible. A volunteer will sit down with the client and take them through a brief intake process. This process takes into account how many people there are in the household, and what financial stressors they are faced with. From there, the volunteer will determine how much food to provide, commensurate with the client’s personal circumstances.

A client can access the foodbank twice year. Should they require further assistance, they will be asked to attend a budget education course. The course is designed to educate clients on how to manage their personal finances and to foster a sense of financial responsibility. Volunteers will later perform check-ups on these clients, by which time they will have had the opportunity to apply their learnings. Now more than ever, people in the community are benefiting from these conversations.

“The clients really appreciate the support they get here because a lot of them don’t have people to lean on. Creating this safe space where they feel comfortable enough to open up is very, very important to us. It’s not just the food that we’re helping with – we’re helping them emotionally and spiritually, and that can be just as important.”

To find out more about the foodbank and the services they offer, head over to www.cccmelton.org.au. There, you can also find how best to contact the team should you want to roll up your sleeves and volunteer!

Cathy is a passionate storyteller from Good News Melton, drawing from her experiences in community services and local government to inspire and uplift her community.

In 1995, nine local Christian churches came together to start the Combined Churches Caring Melton (CCCM) foodbank. With the support of Centrelink and Melton City Council, the foodbank was established to address the growing need for food relief within the community. Almost three decades later, the foodbank continues to do just that.

CEO Michelle started her work with the foodbank back in 2021, when the state was going in and out of lockdown. During this time, there was an increased number of people in the community turning to the foodbank for assistance. “Surprisingly,” Michelle says, “the number of people accessing our services has skyrocketed this year - the cause most likely being the increased cost of living. We even have full-time workers coming in, which is alarming to see. Even people who are working full time are struggling to meet the needs of their expenses.”

Cathy is a passionate storyteller from Good News Melton, drawing from her experiences in community services and local government to inspire and uplift her community.

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