Are you or someone you know struggling to get enough food? With the cost of housing, fuel, bills and other essentials increasingly unaffordable, I've set aside some of my office budget and enlisted the aid of our volunteers to help feed local residents and people who are homeless.
Community Pantry
At my office next to the Indooroopilly Shopping Centre I have set up a community food pantry. Based on a simple principle of take what you need, give what you can, the pantry offers free food and hygiene products for anyone who needs it in our community. The pantry can be accessed Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:30pm at my office at 1/49 Station Road Indooroopilly.
Food donations wanted!
I have put aside some of my office budget to buy food for the pantry, but frankly it's not enough to keep it stocked with more locals needing help than ever. If you can spare some extra when you’re doing your next grocery run, donations of food for our community food pantry is always welcomed.
Non-perishable food is best, particularly:
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canned soups and vegetables/beans
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pasta, rice or noodles
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oats and breakfast cereals
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long life milks or milk alternatives
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tinned or packaged fruit
Food donations can be dropped to my office during business hours - either pop them in the pantry or let my wonderful office staff know so they can store it.
ISHS School Breakfast Program
Every young person needs a full stomach to be able to learn well and grow. At our local public school Indooroopilly State High, I've recruited a wonderful team of volunteers to help me run an extra day of free school breakfasts for students on Friday mornings. We serve up fruit, cereal, toast and toasties for any student that needs a little extra - ensuring nobody goes without, no matter their circumstances.
Want to get involved as a volunteer? Sign up to volunteer with my office here or email me at [email protected]
West Side Community Meals
Every Wednesday, 5pm - 6:30pm (weather permitting) our volunteers run a community dinner event at Guyatt Park in St Lucia (next to the ferry terminal). With the huge popularity of these events, I'm also trialling pop-up community dinner events in suburbs such as Toowong, Bardon, Fig Tree Pocket and Indooroopilly, so check out my events page to find the next dinner near you!
This event is for everyone, and offers a wonderful way for our community to get together, meet neighbours and build connections over a delicious sunset meal in the park. With a different theme each month, all the food is made by our volunteer chefs who cook up a storm for their neighbours. Expect favourite family recipes, volunteer classics and plenty of delicious surprises!
Bring a picnic rug, your friends, family, kids and dogs, and join us for a relaxed evening by the river.
- Free event
- If you can, please bring your own plate, cup or container. It really helps our volunteers.
- Vegan and gluten-free options always available.
- Located at Guyatt Park, St Lucia (near the ferry)
Good food + Good company = A great Wednesday evening! RSVP for the next dinner event on my events page here, to ensure you're notified about changes or cancellations due to weather.
Want to get involved as a volunteer? Sign up to volunteer with my office here or email me at [email protected]
Other food and support services
In addition to what I am able to provide as a local MP, there are also a number of other food and support services available in our local area I would recommend connecting with in times of struggle.
Find local services such as crisis housing, disability advocacy and support, domestic violence, food and emergency aid, free legal support, mental health and other services on my community support page here.
If you're having trouble with state government services such as transport, housing, health, education or the justice system, please feel free to also reach out to me to see if I can help. While I can't direct government services, sometimes I can help get your case looked at by State government departments or agencies, get you information about local infrastructure or developments, or connect you with experts or services that can assist you. Email me at [email protected] or find out more about the ways I can help here.