Brimbank City Council has launched a new partnership with VicHealth to make sure everyone in the local community has access to affordable, nutritious and culturally appropriate food.
Everyone at the Table (EAT), delivered through VicHealth’s Partners In Place initiative, aims to dismantle the barriers to food particularly for vulnerable communities, including our culturally and racially marginalised groups.
Brimbank is one of Australia’s most culturally diverse regions with almost half of its community born overseas, more than 57 per cent of people speaking a language other than English at home and the highest number of asylum seekers of any Victorian region.
The program will be delivered in collaboration with a coalition of organisations including Western Public Health Unit, IPC Health, the University of Melbourne, The Community Grocer and Sustain: The Australian Food Network.
Food insecurity is one of Brimbank’s most significant issues with 12.5 per cent of adults saying that at times they had run out of food and been unable to afford more. This compares to 8 per cent of people across Victoria.
The program aims to ensure Brimbank has better, more co-ordinated and more resilient food systems so vulnerable groups have easier access to reliable, affordable and fresh food.
Brimbank Deputy Mayor Cr Maria Kerr said food insecurity is a growing problem in Brimbank.
“A recent survey revealing one in seven people in our community have worried about running out of money to buy food.
“There will be people here in Brimbank who can’t feed their families or who don’t know where their next meal is coming from. They might have to choose between food and paying the rent, or food and paying for medicine.
“It’s not just about having enough food; it’s about being able to access good quality fresh and healthy food. Without this, it can lead to a range of long-term physical and mental health issues.
“On behalf of Brimbank Council, I’d like to thank VicHealth and our partners for their support, by improving access to fresh, nutritious, culturally appropriate food and improving the health and wellbeing of our most vulnerable residents.”
For more information about the Partners in Place initiative and Brimbank’s Everyone at the Table program visit https://vichealth.au/Partners-in-Place-SP
