This Advent period, we are inviting our community to collect groceries and other essentials to help us stock our Foodbank over the Christmas holidays.

Each week, our Foodbank provides essential items to over 150 families. Food insecurity is a significant challenge for the families and individuals that we serves. Long waits for resolution of asylum applications people are spending extended periods of time without work rights, access to Federal Government support, or other ways of supporting themselves.

Our Foodbank feeds and provides necessities for families who would otherwise have nowhere else to go. Demand for food relief increases significantly over the holiday period, and your support at this time of year would make a meaningful and immediate difference.

We are calling for both food and essential item donations, and physical or digital supermarket gift cards ($50, $75, or $100 gift cards from Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, etc.).

Click here to view the full list of items families may need over the Christmas period.

Vouchers ensure the people we serve have agency over their food choices.

Our Foodbank will close for a short period over Christmas and New Year, but as we all know, the need for food and essential items does not stop.

Supermarket gift cards allow the individuals and families we support to purchase groceries and essentials while our Foodbank is closed, maintain dignity and autonomy in choosing what they need, and get through an especially difficult period without interruption to support.

Digital gift cards can be purchased online on the Woolworths, Coles or Aldi websites, and sent directly to JRS. Simply enter ‘JRS Foodbank Client’ as the ‘Name of Recipient’ and foodbank@jrs.org.au as the ‘Recipient’s Email Address’.

Alternatively, you can purchase physical gift cards from your local supermarket and deliver them to JRS Australia at 10-12 Victoria Rd, Parramatta, NSW, 2150, or send them to PO Box 522 Kings Cross, NSW 1340.

If you have any questions, or would like resources to help make your food or gift card drive a success, please contact Kristen Lazarus, our Schools and Community Engagement Officer.

Thank you for walking alongside refugees, people seeking asylum, and vulnerable migrants in our community. Your generosity this Christmas brings hope, dignity, and community to those who need it most.

Delivery Instructions

Drop Off: Our address is 10-12 Victoria Rd, Parramatta but access is via. Villiers St. Please see the map and instructions here.

When: We are open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9.00am to 4.00pm. We prefer deliveries Monday all day, or after 12.00pm Tuesday and Thursday, although this is flexible.

Please give us at least 3 days’ notice of your intended delivery time, so that we have enough resources available to support your generous donation.

Who do I contact?

Vaishnavi Kalidhason – Logistics (Food & Material Aid) and Operations Support Officer

Availability: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays (9am – 5pm)

Phone number: 0434 422 573

Email: vaishnavi.kalidhason@jrs.org.au or foodbank@jrs.org.au