Food relief and rescue organisation, Shepparton Foodshare, has settled into its new purpose-built warehouse and distribution centre in Mooroopna, built with over $3 million of government support announced last April.
Shepparton Foodshare partners with supermarkets, businesses, manufacturers, growers and other food rescue agencies to provide free, nutritious food for people in need. Since 2012, it has distributed almost five million kilograms of food, or close to 10 million meals, across the Goulburn Valley region and beyond.
The new warehouse is the first home fully owned by Shepparton Foodshare since it was established, providing a secure base for the organisation to supply services. It was formally opened by Victorian Minister for Regional Development, Jaclyn Symes, on 2 May.
“Shepparton Foodshare is there for the community when it matters most – providing nourishing meals to people doing it tough and offering a lifeline for communities across the Goulburn Valley,” said Symes.
The new site has increased service capacity, providing more space where food can be stored, prepared and distributed, donations received and sorted, and where staff and volunteers can work safely and effectively with modern facilities – allowing for future growth and community partnerships.
Around 50 full-time jobs were created during construction of the new facility, with almost 30 local contractors and businesses engaged to provide products, materials and services. There are also an additional 50 volunteer opportunities now available across warehouse roles and on the board.
The new site has more warehousing space, along with new offices and a meeting room, as well as a new commercial kitchen to maximise food usage and minimise waste. Cooling and freezer rooms have doubled in size compared with the previous site, allowing access by forklifts to reduce manual handling processes.
Shepparton Foodshare chair, Jeremy Rensford, said the new warehouse is a game-changer for the organisation.
“It gives us the capacity to store and distribute more food to more people and respond faster in times of need so we can better support those who need it most,” said Rensford.
The build was supported by $2.9 million of investment from the Victorian government, as well as a $600,000 contribution from the federal government.
