An inspiring volunteer-run hub for food relief is helping people facing hardship across Naarm/Melbourne’s outer east put food on the table.
The dedicated team of around 80 volunteers at Wantirna’s Outer East Foodshare (OEF) collect surplus food from local supermarkets, as well as receiving deliveries of ready-to-eat FareShare meals and SecondBite rescued produce.
They then sort and pack that food at their hub, so it can be distributed to around 50 charities from the outer eastern suburbs – who share it with people in need.
OEF have received more than 6,400 FareShare meals since deliveries first began in August 2025 and since partnering with SecondBite in July 2024 they have also received more than 120,000 kg of rescued food.
Hub sorts and distributes thousands of kilograms of rescued food
OEF it is always a hive of activity, as volunteers efficiently collect, sort and distribute food from their base in a former kindergarten building.
Volunteers collect food from local supermarkets and stores with the OEF van – including Coles and Nando’s through SecondBite’s Community Connect program – and they also receive a weekly delivery of FareShare meals and rescued food from the SecondBite truck.
Rescued food is wheeled down on trolleys into the main room at OEF and quickly and efficiently sorted by the dedicated volunteers and packed into tailored hampers.
The hampers are then collected by charity partners to be shared through food relief programs.
Thousands of kilograms of rescued food can be sorted and distributed to charity partners through the hub each weekday, and even on the weekends the hardworking volunteers are still collecting and delivering rescued food.
Omesh from Ngwala Willumbong Aboriginal Corporation collects FareShare meals and SecondBite produce from OEF.
Rescued food is collected and shared on the same day
Marilyn Lambert, OEF Hub Coordinator said they aimed for high turnover of the rescued and donated food – so the food could be collected from supermarkets and stores, distributed to charities and shared with people in need on the same day.
“What’s lovely, it (food) comes in this morning and it’s sorted, out and on families’ tables for dinner tonight.“
Marilyn, OEF Hub Coordinator
Alan Heath from ADRA Wantirna collects FareShare meals and SecondBite rescued food from OEF and said they were a valuable addition to their food relief program.
“This (food) will be helping to feed about 150 people, about 50 families, so it’s really great – it’s brilliant.“
Alan, ADRA Wantirna
Hear from OEF Hub Coordinator Marilyn and Alan from ADRA
OEF supports food relief programs at a range of agencies – including charities, churches, kindergartens, schools, community meal programs, soup kitchens, domestic violence support programs and First Nations organisations.
“We try and match food to agencies needs and wants. We go to a fair bit of effort to try and sort out (food), according to what the agencies do, how big they are, how often they either have lunches or hampers or pantries.“
Marilyn, OEF Hub Coordinator
Food relief hubs like Outer East Foodshare play a vital role in helping FareShare meals and SecondBite food and reach thousands of people struggling to put food on the table.
Donate now to FareShare and help us provide more meals to inspiring charity partners like Outer East Foodshare.
