More Than $1 Million Raised

Shepparton Foodshare's much-loved annual fundraising dinner, Make A Meal Of June, has reached a remarkable milestone, celebrating its 10th anniversary while surpassing $1 million in community support over the past decade.

Since its inception, Make A Meal Of June has grown into one of the most popular annual local events, bringing together businesses, organisations and individuals who share a commitment to ensuring local people have access to food when they need it most.

The fundraiser was established in 2017 as Shepparton Foodshare did not have a guaranteed source of operational funding. Foodshare relied heavily on applying for annual grants through The Community Fund Goulburn Valley (now the Greater Shepparton Foundation) to help keep its doors open.

It was in the offices of Community Fund that the idea for an annual fundraising dinner was born – an opportunity for the community to come together, make a tax-deductible donation and invest directly in an essential local service where they live, work or operate a business while receiving valuable recognition for their contribution.

Shepparton Foodshare Board Chair, Cheryl Hammer said "It's been a privilege to see Make A Meal Of June grow from a simple idea into a community tradition that has now raised an extraordinary amount of funds for Shepparton Foodshare.”

Cheryl said, "Raising more than $1 million is an incredible milestone for any community, but especially for a regional community like ours. It shows what is possible when people unite behind a common purpose. Every dollar represents someone choosing to support their neighbours, and together those contributions have created a lasting impact.”

"This milestone reflects the commitment of so many people over the past decade. Successive board members, staff, volunteers, sponsors, donors, event partners and community leaders have all played an important part in building Make A Meal Of June into the event it is today. Their support has helped strengthen Shepparton Foodshare's future, ensuring we can continue to respond to the growing demand for food relief and support the diverse communities across the Goulburn Valley," said Cheryl.

Funds raised through Make A Meal Of June are used to cover Shepparton Foodshare's day-to-day operating costs, including utilities, fuel, food rescue vehicle maintenance, forklift servicing, insurance, warehouse compliance and other essential expenses that enable the organisations to continue rescuing and redistributing food across the Goulburn Valley.

Over the years, the event has evolved while remaining true to its purpose. Having established a wonderful foundation at the popular Bill + Beats in Mooroopna, then moving to the warm hospitality of the Woolshed @ Emerald Bank to accommodate the growing attendance, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was reimagined as a takeaway dining experience, with meals prepared by The Woolshed and delivered by volunteers to supporters throughout the community.

Today, the fundraiser is more important than ever.

Shepparton Foodshare is experiencing unprecedented demand for its services. During the 2025/26 financial year, the organisation distributed 711,000 kilograms of food—equivalent to approximately 1.4 million meals, representing a 47 per cent increase on the previous financial year. This follows consecutive annual increases of around 30 per cent over the two years prior, highlighting the growing cost-of-living pressures facing local households.

Shepparton Foodshare provides food free of charge to registered emergency relief agencies, schools, neighbourhood houses, community services, meals programs, faith organisations and other community groups. These organisations support individuals and families experiencing financial hardship, children, people experiencing homelessness and members of the region's multicultural communities.

The success of Make A Meal Of June over the past decade reflects the generosity of the Goulburn Valley community and the willingness of local businesses and residents to support one another during challenging times.