World Food Day (16 Oct) Hunger and Food Insecurity in WA
On World Food Day (16 October), the Financial Wellbeing Collective (FWC) and Foodbank WA are drawing attention to the alarming rise in food insecurity across Western Australia, with 94% of emergency relief provided by FWC Partners over the past five years directed toward food assistance.
“When families call our Emergency Relief and Food Access Service (ERFAS), they’re often facing their most vulnerable moment — choosing between paying rent or buying groceries, keeping the lights on or feeding their children,” said Helena Jakupovic, General Manager at the Financial Wellbeing Collective.
“Over the last five years, 94% of emergency relief provided by our Partners has been directed toward food assistance. This is a clear signal that people in our community are struggling to afford the most basic essential — food.”
Food insecurity is rarely an isolated issue. It is often a symptom of deeper financial distress, with households facing unexpected bills, rising debt repayments, reduced working hours, or the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
“This is why our partnership with Foodbank WA is so powerful,” Ms Jakupovic said. “We’re not just providing a band-aid solution, we’re creating a pathway to long-term stability.”
The Financial Wellbeing Collective’s collaboration with Foodbank WA recognises a simple truth – people in crisis need immediate help and sustainable solutions, that’s why we have on-the-ground support, with an Emergency Relief and Food Access Service Financial Support Worker, offering onsite Foodbank referrals, as well as directing people in need to other financial support services.
This approach ensures that while families’ urgent food needs are met, underlying financial challenges can also be addressed through:
- Expert financial counselling to manage debt, bills, and budgets
- Referrals to additional support services
- Long-term financial plans to reduce future food insecurity
In the 2024–25 financial year alone, FWC supported 13,280 people across Western Australia, answering 37,333 calls for emergency relief.
“At the Financial Wellbeing Collective, we’re committed to being part of the solution,” Ms Jakupovic said. “Through our partnership with Foodbank WA, we’re ensuring that when people reach out for help, they receive both the immediate food support they need and the financial support services that can change their long-term trajectory.”
As part of its World Food Day advocacy, the Financial Wellbeing Collective is calling for:
Continuing to strengthen partnerships: Our work with Foodbank WA demonstrates that collaborative approaches are more effective. By combining immediate relief with long-term financial support, we’re helping people move from crisis to stability.
Advocating for systemic change: While we provide crucial frontline services, we also advocate for policy changes that address the structural issues driving food insecurity – inadequate income support, housing affordability, and access to financial services.
Breaking down barriers: We’re committed to making our services accessible and non-judgmental. Financial stress carries stigma, and we work hard to create safe spaces where people can seek help with dignity and without shame.
Recognising the immediate support of food relief as a first step: When people are under financial stress, the variable that can be addressed fastest is the cost of food. Food relief lightens the distress being experienced and reduces a person’s overall costs. That allows our financial support advisors to be able to work with clients through other cost centres to find a path back to their own self-sufficiency.
Through our partnership with Foodbank WA, we’re building the infrastructure to make it possible – one referral, one counselling session, one family at a time.
94% of emergency relief referrals going to food assistance should concern us all. It shows that people are struggling with the absolute basics. But it also shows where help is needed most urgently.
This World Food Day, let’s remember that food security and financial wellbeing are inseparable. When we address them together, we create real, lasting change.
Your organisation can be part of this solution. By funding programs that tackle both food insecurity and financial capability, you’re not just providing immediate relief—you’re investing in long-term community resilience and breaking the cycle of poverty. Whether through program sponsorship, employee giving initiatives, or strategic partnerships, there are meaningful ways to make a measurable impact.
If you or someone you know needs support, please reach out to the Financial Wellbeing Collective’s Emergency Relief and Food Access Service (ERFAS). Help is available, and you don’t have to face financial hardship alone.
