Inside Our Food Rescue Operation: How 14 Tonnes a Week Reaches 1,200 Ipswich Families

Behind every hamper that leaves our doors is a logistics operation that most people never see. Every week, the Goodness Regional Food Hub rescues, sorts, and distributes over 14 tonnes of surplus food to more than 1,200 local families and over 100 community groups across the West Moreton region.

The operation starts before dawn, with refrigerated transport runs collecting surplus food from major commercial suppliers and distribution centres. That food arrives at our hub, where volunteers sort, quality-check, and pack it into emergency hampers and everyday grocery lines for the Community Food Co-Op. From the 5am truck runs to the afternoon quality checks, every piece of rescued produce is handled with care to ensure it arrives fresh, safe, and ready to nourish the community.

Our volunteer drivers are the unsung heroes of this engine. They navigate the daily routes that get food from our hub to the families and groups who need it most. We are always urgently seeking more volunteer drivers to help rescue food and deliver emergency hampers to people in crisis — it is one of the most direct, tangible ways to make a difference in Ipswich.

This model works because it is circular. Food that would otherwise go to waste is rescued, redirected, and transformed into dignity and nutrition for families doing it tough. It is good for people and good for the planet.

As we look to the future, we are standardising regional food deliveries through integrated logistics platforms to optimise routes and provide real-time, auditable proof of impact. The goal is simple: more food, to more families, more efficiently — and every kilometre driven in service of someone in need.