The Big Launch

UPWEY, VICTORIA – A local charity has found the solution to Eastern Melbourne's worst food crisis. Foothills Community Care needs $400,000 to transform a site next to Upwey Station into a community hub. The new facility aims to alleviate hunger for thousands of local people who are currently facing exclusion.

Knox has been declared a food shortage red zone. Four in ten people seeking food relief receive no help. This is the only red zone designation in Eastern Melbourne, marking an unprecedented crisis in our community.

For twenty-three years, Foothills Community Care has provided services to families in the surrounding area. The organisation intends to transform a 370-square-metre area into a centre for community activities. Over the course of twelve years, the facility will be responsible for the production of one million meals.

A Comprehensive Solution

The hub will include a commercial kitchen, a dining area that can accommodate 100 people, an opportunity shop, and integrated support services. The hub will be open for business six days out of every week, which will bring about a change in the way our community deals with poverty.

The crisis is deepening daily. In Knox alone, 17,395 people now live below the poverty line. Current services meet only 60 per cent of demand. The shortage means 167,138 kilograms of food are needed each year. Half of those seeking help this year have never needed food relief before.

Strategic Location and Impact

The hub serves a massive catchment area. It will reach 320,000 residents across Knox and Yarra Ranges councils. The location provides direct train access via Upwey Station. Public transport connectivity ensures vulnerable residents can access services easily. The site spans 2,500 square kilometres of need.

The investment case multiplies. Every dollar creates six dollars in social value. The hub will stop 150 families from reaching crisis point each year. These outcomes save millions in emergency service costs while transforming lives.

Community Mobilisation

The facility will mobilise extraordinary community support. Volunteers will contribute 222,000 hours over twelve years. This equals 107 full-time positions worth $6.7 million. The opportunity shop and café will generate funds that will go back to frontline services.

Political support is unanimous. Knox Council has endorsed the project. State and federal representatives from all parties support the initiative. The site is secured. Plans are approved. Only funding prevents immediate success.

Investment Opportunities

The funding model links donations directly to outcomes. Major donors of $150,000 will fund 30,000 home-cooked meals and 6,000 support hours. Contributors of $50,000 will provide 10,000 meals and 2,000 hours of face-to-face assistance. Every donation translates to lives transformed.

The crisis is accelerating. Food parcel demand has increased fivefold since 2022. Cooked meal requirements have doubled. Private renters face 21 per cent poverty rates. These trends will worsen without intervention.

Foothills Community Care rarely seeks public support. The organisation has operated quietly for two decades. This crisis demands a different response. The Upwey Hub represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to solve rather than manage poverty.

State-Wide Significance

The project has state-wide significance. Government officials recognise the hub as a potential model for Victoria. The integrated service approach could transform how communities address food security. Eastern Melbourne will lead the nation in coordinated poverty response.