___
powered by plista
Free supermarket feeds 2000 international studentsa week
For our free coronavirus pandemic coverage, learn more here.
SMH
The making of world-class Pinot NoirBrought to you by Devil's Corner
Politics Victoria Coronavirus pandemic
By Bianca Hall
November 9, 2020 — 7.55pm
Save Share A A A
View all comments3
Outside a CBD skyscraper, the queues are forming early. Money is tight and free food is a luxury
worth waiting for.
In its first weeks, about 2000 students have lined up weekly to use a new service run by Foodbank.
It's a free supermarket for international students only, and demand is strong.
More than 100,000 international students left behind in Melbourne after borders were shut have
been hit hard by the pandemic. With casual work drying up and no federal government support,
many are struggling to put food on the table.
Students Arum Kumar, Akar Gupta, Nitin Kumar and Shravan Kumar at the Aurora Melbourne Central FoodbankInternational Student Pop-Up Store. FOODBANK VICTORIA
Advertisement
Bianca Hall
Final-year master's student Aatree Goswami says it has been a difficult year.
As the number of coronavirus cases rose, her hospitality and office cleaning shifts disappeared one
by one. She worries about her family at home in India, where more than 8.5 million cases have
been recorded.
Ms Goswami has been getting by on income from her few shifts, a university grant and stretching
out her savings. Discovering the Foodbank pop-up has been a game-changer.
"Like everyone, I guess, the pandemic has definitely taken a toll," Ms Goswami said.
It's a situation mirrored across Melbourne.
Fiona Henderson, Melbourne campus manager of Kaplan
Business School, said international students were under
great pressure after months without work or government
support.
"Many students arrived in Australia just before the
pandemic hit, making it near impossible to secure work,"
she said.
"Our students are most appreciative of the work Foodbank
are doing, and have found this initiative to be invaluable
in helping them stay on their feet during COVID-19."
International students brought more than $32 billion to the Australian economy in 2017-18.
But, University of Melbourne student union president Hannah Buchan said they have not received
adequate support in return.
"The university sector especially relies on the money that international students bring into the
sector, so it's really unfair they're being treated like that," she said.
New coronavirus cases per day in Victoria
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
2/3/
20
8/3/
20
14/3
/20
20/3
/20
26/3
/20
1/4/
20
7/4/
20
13/4
/20
19/4
/20
25/4
/20
1/5/
20
7/5/
20
13/5
/20
19/5
/20
25/5
/20
31/5
/20
6/6/
20
12/6
/20
18/6
/20
24/6
/20
30/6
/20
6/7/
20
12/7
/20
18/7
/20
24/7
/20
30/7
/20
5/8/
20
11/8
/20
17/8
/20
23/8
/20
29/8
/20
4/9/
20
10/9
/20
16/9
/20
22/9
/20
28/9
/20
4/10
/20
10/1
0/20
16/1
0/20
22/1
0/20
28/1
0/20
3/11
/20
9/11
/20
New cases 14-day average 7-day average
Data: Department of Health and Human Services
"Students don't feel they've got a very good quality of education this year, for the money they've
had to pay upfront."
The pop-up shop is run by Foodbank Victoria in retail space donated by property developer UEM
Sunrise, and will be open until the end of December. It has been supported by a range of
businesses and the Victorian government.
"We're very excited to provide a new concept in food relief – where dignity and choice play a
powerful role in helping international students who have been the forgotten victims of this crisis,"
Foodbank chief executive Dave McNamara said.
UEM Sunrise Australian director Ong Chee Wei said the property industry had "immense resources
at its disposal" and could support communities during challenging times.
The pop-up store is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am to 2pm. For more
information, visit foodbank.org.au/students/
Sign up to our Coronavirus Update newsletter
Get our Coronavirus Update newsletter for the day’s crucial developments and the numbers you needto know. Sign up to The Sydney Morning Herald’s newsletter here and The Age’s here.
— An earlier version of this article incorrectly said Foodbank Victoria is supported by
the City of Melbourne. The Victorian government is the main sponsor of the service.
Bianca Hall is City Editor for The Age. She has previously worked as a senior reporter, and in theCanberra federal politics bureau.
View all comments
MOST VIEWED IN POLITICS
RELATED ARTICLE
Opinion Coronavirus pandemic
Come back, internationalstudents, Melbourne misses you!
CORRECTION
Save Share License this article Coronavirus pandemic
3
1 Huge new COVID testing blitz totarget Melbourne's north-west
2 'Very humiliating': Alan Tudge'sstaffer says he was a bully who lefther in tears
3 When is a politician's personal lifeof public interest?
4 'Listen to Joel Fitzgibbon':Albanese facing unrest over hisleadership
5 Does the public have a right toknow about Canberra's culture?
6 Opinion Trading blows: China'spunitive strategy against Australiais failing
Advertisement
Advertisement
THE AGE RECOMMENDS
SPORT
Australian Test greats backPucovski to partner Warner
Former Australian captains call for WillPucovski to be named in Test team afterthe Victorian young gun made anotherbig...
CULTURE
Jeopardy! host Alex Trebekdies at 80
Alex Trebek, who presided over the quizshow Jeopardy! for more than 30 years,died on Sunday. He was 80.
NATIONAL
Fight night shooting:Stomping accused back incustody on bail breachcharge
A man who allegedly stomped on thehead of a rival after a fatal shootingoutside a boxing event has been chargedwith...
PROMOTED LINKS FROM THE WEB
Perfection Fresh
Make pickles cooler with Qukes®baby cucumbers
Life Insurance Comparison
Blindly-paying_man-folded arms_Is-it-worth-it
Billy Sumo Health Insurance
Oct rate rise: which healthcare fundcomes out top for older Aussies?
Sponsored by Domain.com.au
DOMAIN
From softball to selling houses:Meet Marshall White's KateStrickland Health Insurance Comparison
Older Aussies with Private HealthInsurance Need to Read this
Compare Health Insurance
Why People Are Choosing Non ProfitHealth Funds
Perfection Fresh
Be adventurous. Add the rich, boldflavour of Kumato® tomatoes tosalads
Sponsored by Domain.com.au
DOMAIN
Worthy of a sonnet and 'heaven onearth': A Hawthorn home with fewpeers Mozo Home Loans
The home loans banks don't wantyou to find
NAB
Our Small Business Hub is all new!
IG Markets
It's here: Trade US shares for $0commission
Sponsored by Domain.com.au
DOMAIN
The tightly held suburb where youcan row, row, row your boat
Feedback SUBSCRIBE
The Age
Copyright © 2020
The Age
The Sydney Morning Herald
Brisbane Times
WAtoday
The Australian Financial Review
Domain
Traveller
Good Food
Drive
CarAdvice
RSVP
Tributes
Celebrations
Place your ad
Commercial Real Estate
Oneflare
Contact & support
Advertise with us
Newsletters
Accessibility guide
Sitemap
Photo sales
Purchase front pages
Content licensing
Our events
Work with us
Conditions of use
Privacy policy
Press Council
Subscription packages
Subscriber benefits
My account
Subscriptions FAQs
Today’s Paper
Daily Crosswords
OUR SITES CLASSIFIEDS THE AGE
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Advertisement
MENUThe Age SUBSCRIBE
Our network Log in
