Support

Updated 10 May 2026

One in five households skipping meals: strategies that help

One in five Australian households skipped meals or went hungry in 2025. Here are practical resources, community support, and budget strategies that actually help.

If You Need Food Right Now

Food banks and emergency relief:

• Foodbank Australia operates across every state. Visit foodbank.org.au to find your nearest emergency food relief program. Most don't require referrals.
• Salvation Army provides emergency food parcels. Call 1300 36 36 36 or visit your local Salvation Army op shop.
• St Vincent de Paul provides meals, grocery vouchers, and cash assistance. Find local services at vinnies.org.au.
• Anglicare Australia provides food and financial counselling. Visit your state chapter through anglicare.asn.au.

Food banks aren't charity. They exist because the system is broken. Using them is the right choice when you're hungry.

Government Support and Payments

If you receive JobSeeker or other Centrelink payments:

• Emergency assistance is available immediately. Contact your local Centrelink office and ask about Hardship Advance (up to $2,000) or Crisis Payment. You don't need to prove anything beyond eligibility for your current payment.
• Rent Assistance and Utilities Allowance help with housing and power costs, freeing up money for food.
• Child Care Subsidy can free up funds if you have young children.

If you're not on Centrelink:

• You may be eligible for JobSeeker Support, Disability Support Pension, or Age Pension. Apply through servicesaustralia.gov.au or call 13 27 17.
• If your application is rejected, appeal it. Rights services provide free help with appeals.

Community and Grassroots Support

Community meals and pantries: Many suburbs have community pantries (little free libraries for food), community gardens, and shared meals. Search "community pantry" plus your suburb on Facebook. If one doesn't exist, start one. Leave shelf-stable food for others. Take what you need. No payment, no questions.

Community gardens: Most councils run community gardens where you can grow vegetables free or for a small fee. You get fresh produce and community connection.

Religious organisations: Mosques, churches, temples, and synagogues offer community meals and support regardless of faith. Many run weekly dinners. Search "[suburb] community meal" to find local ones.

Neighbourhood groups: Neighbourhood app and Facebook community groups often have members sharing excess produce or sharing meals. Don't be shy. If your neighbours have abundance, they typically want to help.

Financial Counselling and Debt Help

If you're struggling with food costs because of debt, rent arrears, or other financial pressure:

• Financial Counselling Australia provides free, confidential support. Call 1800 007 007 or visit financialcounsellingaustralia.org.au. They help negotiate with creditors, create budgets, and access support.
• StepOne provides budget and debt counselling. Visit stepone.com.au.
• Legal Aid provides free legal help if you're facing eviction or other legal threats related to poverty.

Budget Strategies When Money Is Extremely Tight

Buy energy-dense foods first. When money is extremely scarce, buy calorie-dense foods that keep you full: rice, pasta, lentils, peanut butter, oil. These cost $1-2 per kilogram and provide 1,500+ calories. A kilogram of rice feeds a person for 3-4 days for $1.

Shop ALDI and discount stores. ALDI is 20-30% cheaper than major supermarkets. A tin of beans costs $0.65 at ALDI versus $1.20 at Coles. That difference adds up across a month.

Buy seasonal produce only. Tomatoes at $1.50/kg in summer, $3.50/kg in winter. Capsicum similar. Buy cheap in season. Use tinned versions off-season.

Combine cheap staples strategically. Rice + lentils = complete protein. Pasta + tinned tomato = meal. Bread + peanut butter = protein and calories. These combinations are $1-2 per meal and nutritionally complete.

Use food banks and emergency relief. Pinch helps you optimise grocery spending, but food banks exist because optimisation isn't always enough. Using them is smart, not shameful.

Feeding Children on an Extremely Tight Budget

If you have children and limited resources:

• School meals programs: Many schools provide free or heavily subsidised breakfast and lunch. Ask your school. If they don't offer it, ask why not and push them to apply for funding.
• Family Tax Benefit and Child Care Subsidy: If you're not receiving these, apply immediately. They put $200-400 per month back for families with children.
• Community centres: Many councils run after-school care programs that include meals. Check your local council website.
• Foodbank's Kids Help: Specific support for families with children. Visit foodbank.org.au/kids-help.

Children shouldn't go hungry. If they are, tell someone. Teachers, doctors, school counsellors, or the Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) can connect you to immediate support.

Advocacy and Longer-Term Change

While you're surviving now, the system that created food insecurity needs to change. If you want to be part of that change:

• Foodbank Australia publishes an annual Hunger Report showing the scale of food insecurity. It drives policy conversations.
• St Vincent de Paul and other charities run advocacy campaigns for living wages and welfare reform.
• Contact your MP about food security. They need to hear from constituents that this is urgent.
• Share your story (anonymously if you prefer). Policy changes when real people's experiences become public.

If you're experiencing food insecurity, you're not alone and you're not failing. The system is failing you.

Resources Summary

Emergency food (right now):

• Foodbank: foodbank.org.au or 1300 825 987
• Salvation Army: 1300 36 36 36
• St Vincent de Paul: vinnies.org.au

Government support:

• Centrelink: servicesaustralia.gov.au or 13 27 17
• Emergency Hardship: Ask at your nearest Centrelink office

Financial counselling:

• Financial Counselling Australia: 1800 007 007
• StepOne: stepone.com.au

Kids help:

• Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
• School meals programs: Ask your school