STRONGER TOGETHER: Living without and the reality of hunger in a land of plenty

"STRONGER TOGETHER" is a weekly column where Tanya explores key issues. This week Tanya discusses the confronting reality of food insecurity in Queensland, highlighting insights from Foodbank Queensland CEO Jess Watkinson on the Stronger Together podcast, and calling for systemic change to ensure equitable access to nutritious food for all.

By IMPACT Community Services Managing Director Tanya O'Shea

One in three Australian households are experiencing food insecurity. One in five are going hungry, skipping meals or going days without eating. 2.34 million Australians, including 774,000 children, live below the poverty line.

Alarmingly, data shows that together, Queensland’s food relief providers are only able to meet around 37% of the need.

These aren’t just numbers. They represent real people in our communities who are struggling to afford the basics, facing impossible choices between food, rent, medication, and other essentials.

This week, as part of Anti-Poverty Week, I had the privilege of speaking with Jess Watkinson, CEO of Foodbank Queensland, on IMPACT's Stronger Together podcast, The Cost-of-Living Crisis and the Hidden Hunger in Our Communities. Listen now.

Jess shared the confronting reality of food insecurity in Queensland, and the incredible work Foodbank is doing to meet the need: distributing up to 14 million kilograms of food each year, nearly half of which is fresh fruit and vegetables.

What stood out was Jess’s description of their “surprise chain,” a flexible model that turns unpredictable donations from farmers, manufacturers, and partners into reliable support. It’s a testament to the power of generosity and collaboration.

Foodbank is Australia’s largest food relief organisation, and 90% of the food it distributes is donated. Only 20% of Foodbank’s funding comes from government. The rest relies on fundraising, corporate partnerships, and donations from everyday Australians.

Foodbank also advocates for a national food donation tax incentive, which would allow farmers to receive tax offsets for donated produce, supporting both farmers and the food relief system.

It’s a great example of the kind of systemic change needed to achieve food equity - ensuring everyone has consistent access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food, regardless of income, location, or circumstance.

Locally, IMPACT marked Anti-Poverty Week with a Community Gathering at Buss Park in Bundaberg, where attendees heard from local voices and reflected on the daily reality faced by families doing it tough.

Guests received small food packs, similar to those provided through Foodbank Queensland’s School Breakfast Program, to help visualise what some children rely on as their only meal of the day.

It was a powerful reminder of the choices many families are forced to make every day.

Change starts with awareness, but it grows through action, like attending the Anti-Poverty Week Community Gathering, or supporting food relief organisations such as Foodbank.

And in choosing to care, we begin to change not just the narrative, but the reality: where access to food, shelter, and security is not a privilege, but a right; where no one is forced to trade one basic need for another; and where survival doesn't come at the cost of dignity.

Because the true strength of a community lies not in what it has, but in how it cares for those with the least.

If you or someone you know is struggling to access food, visit Foodbank’s Find Food tool. Help is available, and there is no shame in seeking it.