The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) has launched a two-week emergency food security appeal as rising fuel costs are passed down the supply chain and increasing demand is placed on the organisation’s foodbank services.
Founded in 2001, the ASRC is an independent not-for-profit organisation providing support to people seeking asylum. Each month, thousands of people rely on the ASRC’s foodbanks in Footscray and Dandenong. The organisation stated many are living on temporary visas for years, with no access to income support, no work rights, and no safety net.
Conflict in the Middle East and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz continue to increase strain on the Australian agrifood industry and supply chain, which heavily relies on imported fuel and diesel to maintain operations. These costs are being passed on to businesses across the country.
The ASRC stated staple items such as rice, flour, oil and meat have already risen sharply, with increases on bulk purchases of up to 25 per cent, and the organisation is already seeing signs of strain. Food donations are declining as households face rising living costs, while suppliers are passing on higher transport costs or requiring collection instead of delivery.
These impacts are being seen by foodbanks across Australia, including by the nation's largest hunger-relief organisation. Foodbank Australia CEO, Kylea Tink, told Food & Drink Business that people simply can’t afford the petrol to drive to a food relief centre.
“More people are relying on public transport or carpooling, which limits how much food they can take home. That means families are making tough choices about what they leave behind,” said Tink.
“The current fuel crisis is putting pressure on every part of the Foodbank federation: from sourcing and distributing food relief across the network to the charities and people that are doing it tough, through to the increasing barriers making it difficult for people to access the support we provide.
“At the same time the volunteers we rely on to deliver our service are also reporting they are finding it difficult to absorb the costs associated with getting to our warehouses. Ultimately, it’s a perfect storm where we are desperately trying to stretch limited dollars to increase the support we can offer, at a time where everything we need is getting more expensive,” she said.
Unlike Foodbank and some of the other major hunger-relief organisations across Australia, the ASRC does not receive federal government funding for its core services and relies on community support to keep its foodbanks operating.
The two-week urgent appeal aims to ensure shelves remain stocked and families are able to access the food they need in the weeks ahead.
In response to rising demand and costs of sourcing and delivering food, the ASRC is increasing bulk orders of essential items, expanding storage capacity for non-perishable and frozen goods, and adjusting logistics to maintain consistent access to food in the months ahead.
ASRC CEO, Kon Karapanagiotidis, said he never expected the organisation would need to launch another urgent appeal so soon after Covid, but the fuel crisis is driving up the cost of everything.
“What we’re already seeing is deeply concerning. Empty foodbank shelves. Families with nothing in their fridge or cupboard, turning to us simply to survive,” said Karapanagiotidis.
“It’s costing more to source food, more to transport it, and more to keep our services running. We’re facing rising costs, people struggling to get donations to us and increasing demand all at once. Without community support, we cannot guarantee a steady food supply for families who have no access to federal government support.
“The people we support have no savings, no income and no safety net. For many, we are the only place they can turn to for food. We have a plan to get through this, but we cannot do it alone. Together, we are the safety net. We’re asking our community to help us keep it strong,” he said.
Head to asrc.org.au to support the appeal.
