Community matters: supporting Bendigo Foodshare

CVGT Employment is continuing its support of not-for-profit Bendigo Foodshare with a donation of $5000 to help with the rising costs of distributing food across Central Victoria.

Bendigo Foodshare is a charitable organisation that rescues donated and surplus food to feed about 13,000 people across central Victoria each week.

The efforts save good food that would have once ended up in landfill, and it comes from supermarkets, food retailers, hospitality businesses, food manufacturers and agricultural growers and businesses.

A team of volunteers collects the food, and after returning to the Bendigo Foodshare warehouse it is sorted, packed into food hampers and redistributed to vulnerable people.

About 70 not-for-profit groups are tasked with this distribution – it’s done through schools, large charities such as the Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul, church groups and childcare centres.

Rising energy and fuel costs is a challenge for Bendigo Foodshare to keep its fleet of three vans on the road, with tens of thousands of kilometres travelled each day.

One van is “Benny”. CVGT Employment made a $5000 donation to support Benny’s running costs in 2021-22, with our logo featuring on the van alongside those of other regional businesses. Today, Benny is being driven across Central Victoria with the CVGT Employment logo proudly in place.

Bendigo Foodshare provides an important service to families in our communities.
Their work is a reflection that people are vulnerable and are doing it tough.

Mark Little
General Manager Strategy and Communications, CVGT Employment

“Some of the people they are supporting would be some of the people we are seeing daily to support into employment.

“Like CVGT, Bendigo Foodshare is delivering positive results for individuals and communities; and this collaboration aligns with many of our values. Community matters to us, supporting Bendigo Foodshare shows how easy it is to do the right thing.”

Bendigo Foodshare’s flood relief efforts saw an additional 100,000kg of food distributed to affected people in communities. This work continues.