The Big Umbrella Foundation
Providing nutritious meals and social support to people experiencing food insecurity, homelessness, and crisis across Melbourne and disaster-affected communities nationwide.
The Big Umbrella (TBU) provides nutritious, sustainably prepared meals and community support to people experiencing food insecurity, homelessness, and crisis across Melbourne and disaster-affected areas nationwide. Powered by volunteers and rescued food, TBU delivers large-scale food relief through its Brunswick Emergency Relief Centre, Federation Square community meals, and an innovative new model involving free food vending machines designed to increase access and scalability across Victoria.
2025 Pitch
Funds Raised: $30,500
Pitched at Equity and Inclusion event for support to revolutionise food relief by introducing a vacuum-sealed meal packaging system that will enable the delivery of thousands of ready-to-eat meals through free community food vending machines across Melbourne and regional Victoria. This initiative will increase access to nutritious meals for people in crisis, including those experiencing homelessness and food insecurity, while supporting emergency response efforts.
6 Month Impact
12 Month Impact
The funding contributed to purchasing a commercial vacuum food packaging machine to prepare pre-packaged frozen meals for an automated food vending machine initiative, enabling 500 meals to reach people facing homelessness.
Impact story:
The packaging machine enabled the team to set up a dedicated production line and produce over 500 packaged meals, which were distributed directly to individuals living on the street and used to trial their automated meal distribution system.
Learn more about The Big Umbrella Foundation
Supporting Sustainable Development Goals:
