This is one of 9 community pantries around Banyule and Nillumbik. These pantries contain non-perishable food which is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, require no appointments and are open to whoever needs food. Their philosophy is give what you can, take what you need, with people able to donate to the pantry as well.

Eastern Food Rescue (formerly Food is Free Mitcham) is an outdoor free access pantry for everyone who eats food, where locals can either donate goods or take things that they need. As well as the pantry in Mitcham, there is another in Ringwood, at the Salvation Army, 49-53 Wantirna Road.

The main aims are to avoid food and goods going into landfill and to help those in the community who may be struggling. An added bonus is that having the pantry in the community boosts morale and gives everyone a warm fuzzy feeling.

They collect donations from various local businesses to help keep the pantry full and also rely on community donations from neighbours. You can donate anything going unused in your pantry (no open packets), excess produce from your garden, or household items such as toiletries and nappies. If you donate fresh fruit, vegetables or bread, please post on their Facebook group to make sure that people can collect it quickly.

A special thanks to their regular donors: Bakers Bun (The Pines), Bakers Delight (Brentford Square, Wantirna Mall & Vermont South), Wendy’s Bakery (Mitcham), Mylk Bar (Mitcham) and Two Brothers (Mitcham).

This is one of 9 community pantries around Banyule and Nillumbik. These pantries contain non-perishable food which is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, require no appointments and are open to whoever needs food. Their philosophy is give what you can, take what you need, with people able to donate to the pantry as well.

Managed by LINC on behalf of The Food Collective.

This initiative is one of a number of related food-related initiatives at the site (others include a food swap, a community garden and a seed library).

The Food is Free table is situated under the verandah outside the entrance to the Hurstbridge Community Hub.

Anyone in the community can take from table and you don’t need to contribute anything or leave items in its place. Homegrown food and other items that are left over from the twice monthly food swap are placed on the Food is Free table for everyone in the community to access.

Individual donations of food and garden-related items can be left on the table at any time. Don’t throw those extras in the compost, red bin or recycle: share them with the community!

You can join their Facebook group for regular updates on what is happening.

Give what you can, take what you can use. For all neighbours to share in: unopened pantry, toiletries & sanitary items; fresh garden veggies & fruits; and bakery items.

This is one of 9 community pantries around Banyule and Nillumbik. These pantries contain non-perishable food which is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, require no appointments and are open to whoever needs food. Their philosophy is give what you can, take what you need, with people able to donate to the pantry as well.

Managed by Vines Baptist Church on behalf of The Food Collective.

This is one of 9 community pantries around Banyule and Nillumbik. These pantries contain non-perishable food which is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, require no appointments and are open to whoever needs food. Their philosophy is give what you can, take what you need, with people able to donate to the pantry as well.

Managed by the Living & Learning Centre on behalf of The Food Collective.

This share table was started after reading about the Food is Free movement and initially comprised seedlings from CERES that were not quite good enough for them to sell at their nursery. This grew into bringing excess home and leaving them for others in the neighbourhood to rescue. More recently, a planter box has been added that others can take herbs from plus a box to share excess produce. The initiative has also fostered stronger connections between the neighbours.

Updates about availability are posted to the Reservoir Plant Exchange and Reservoir Good Karma Network Facebook groups.

SecondBite in Diamond Creek is open every Saturday, 9-10am. It provides, at no cost, a wide variety of fresh produce and other edible goods available to those facing food insecurity or challenges. No referral is required; just drop by and collect fruit and vegetables that would otherwise have gone to waste. Any surplus that is left over is then taken to the Food is Free table in Hurstbridge.

The initiative is operated by The Rotary Club of Diamond Creek in partnership with SecondBite. The aims are to lessen waste and reduce hunger by:

• Giving food producers and retailers the opportunity to reduce surplus and unsold food.
• Re-distributing high quality surplus food to the community.
• Diverting nutritious, edible, quality food from entering landfill, thus promoting environmental well-being.

The Food Collective is an initiative of Diamond Valley Community Support which brings together a number of local delivery and donation partners, community organisations and individuals to address food security challenges for vulnerable and disadvantaged community members in the Diamond Valley Region. They do this by sourcing and supplying basic non-perishable food parcels of everyday necessities to those who are experiencing financial crisis and needing emergency relief assistance.

One of its main initiatives to date has been the establishment of community pantries around Banyule and Nillumbik. These pantries contain non-perishable food which is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, require no appointments and are open to whoever needs food.

Their philosophy is give what you can, take what you need, with people able to donate to the pantry as well.

Their pantries are in:

• Diamond Creek (St Johns Diamond Creek). Open 24/7.
• Eltham (Eltham Lions Club). Open 24/7.
• Eltham (St Margaret’s Anglican Church). Open 24/7 and managed by LINC.
• Hurstbridge (Hurstbridge Community Hub). Open 24/7 and managed by the Vines Baptist Church.
• Panton Hill (Panton Hill Living & Learning Centre). Open 24/7 and managed by the living & learning centre.
• Rosanna (Rosanna Fire Station Community House). Open 24/7 and managed by the community house.
• Strathewen (Strathewen Primary School). Open 24/7 and managed by the school.
• Warrandyte (Warrandyte Neighbourhood House). Open Wednesdays, 10am-midday and managed by Carenet.
• Watsonia (Watsonia Neighbourhood House). Open 24/7 and managed by the neighbourhood house.

This is one of 9 community pantries around Banyule and Nillumbik. These pantries contain non-perishable food which is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, require no appointments and are open to whoever needs food. Their philosophy is give what you can, take what you need, with people able to donate to the pantry as well.

Managed by Carenet on behalf of The Food Collective.

Whittlesea Food Collective aims to develop an integrated response to people experiencing hardship, where the response includes food production and distribution, plant and food-based enterprises, recycling and waste reduction and learning and employment pathways. It delivers individuals with fresh, nourishing food, free of cost, to eligible residents in the City of Whittlesea.

It also provides opportunities for people to volunteer and participate in community activities (see application form). And it accepts donations (see donations form).

Its resources include a demonstration veggie garden and a commercial kitchen.

Whittlesea Food Collective is a partnership between Whittlesea Community Connections and the Whittlesea Emergency Relief Network. It is part of a broader project, the Whittlesea Community Farm and Food Collective, which is a partnership between Whittlesea Community Connections, Yarra Valley Water, Melbourne Polytechnic and City of Whittlesea.