Foothills Community Care - Community Meals

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Foothills Community Care - Community Meals

Foothills Community Care has been operating in Knox and Dandenong Ranges area since 2002. Since 2002, on average 250 people gather together to share the day.

Foothills Community Care is a not-for-profit grassroots organisation that walks alongside those who are in need of a safe place to connect in the Dandenong Ranges and Knox areas of outer eastern Melbourne. We aim to support people in our local community, especially those who are vulnerable, isolated and in need of an extra hand up. We provide free weekly hot takeaway meals on Monday evenings in Up

wey and Wednesday evenings in Ferntree Gully for anyone in the local community, no need to book. We also provide free frozen homecooked nutritious meals delivered through our Community Casseroles. Foothills Community Care also hosts the annual Ferntree Gully Christmas Day Lunch on December 25 for people who would normally spend Christmas alone. We also provide a DV Peer Support Group for women and children in our local area. Since COVID restrictions have come in, we have adapted our services to continue to serve our local community with compassion and love. For more information visit our website https://www.foothillscare.org.au/

18/06/2026

On these cold winter nights, there is nothing warmer than the heart of our community!

We are incredibly grateful for our amazing volunteers and supporters who show up week after week at our community meals in Upwey and Ferntree Gully.

For 19 years at Ferntree Gully, our absolute angels of volunteers haven’t just been serving up hot, delicious food - they’ve been creating a safe, inclusive, and welcoming space where everyone feels like they belong.

This week, our tables were absolutely packed, and the room was full to the brim! We kept the winter chill away thanks to:
🥣 A beautiful, hearty pumpkin soup made by our friends at the Rotary Club of Rowville-Lysterfield
🍰 A delicious dessert treated to us by our friends at the Rotary Club of Fern Tree Gully

We say it all the time, but we truly have the best community. Thank you to everyone who steps up to make sure everyone is welcome at our table! 💛🍲

https://www.foothillscare.org.au/donate/

17/06/2026

We use hundreds of bags every single week across our community meals and outreach programs. To keep things running smoothly, we are running low and need a top-up!

We are looking for either brand new or good quality, clean, reused bags in these styles:

📄 Paper bags (with handles)

👜 Tote / reusable shopping bags

If you have some to spare, please drop them off at our Upwey Hub. (rear 62-64 Main St Upwey) Thank you for helping us keep our community supported! 💚

15/06/2026

Help us keep the welcome open this EOFY.

Thank you to the great messages and donations we have been receiving over the last few days, since we launched our EOFY appeal.

It is so encouraging to see that so many want to stand with us, and with our community at this time, especially those experiencing deep isolation.

We recently shared this story of a woman who walked into our Hub. She hadn't spoken to another human being in over a week. She told us that she felt completely invisible. After a hot meal and a simple chat at our shared table, she looked us in the eye and said: "Thank you for remembering me."

With our new Community Hub now open 6 days a week, we are expanding our care so no one is left out in the cold. But we can't keep the kitchen running alone.

This EOFY, your gift keeps the welcome open:
* Give a One-Off Gift to help us meet urgent winter demand.
* Become a Monthly Partner to provide predictable, sustainable support.

Every donation over $2 is fully tax-deductible. Help us make sure there is always a seat ready.

Click the link to donate today and make a difference https://www.foothillscare.org.au/donate/ See less

11/06/2026

Nothing beats a steaming cup of hot, hearty soup on a freezing winter night!

Our Wednesday night community meals in Ferntree Gully are officially in winter mode, and we are so grateful for our incredible "soup team" who keep the pots boiling. We have a fantastic lineup of partners cooking for us this season, including the wonderful folks at the Rotary Club of Ferntree Gully, Rotary Club of Lysterfield/Rowville, and many amazing individuals.

Last night, it was Simone’s turn to bless us with her delicious homemade vegetable soup. It was an absolute hit with everyone at the table, and so deeply appreciated on a cold night

Want to join the soup team? We are looking for individuals, businesses, or community groups to help cook up a storm over the winter months. If you’d like to claim a date and provide a batch of hearty soup for a Wednesday night, we would love to hear from you!

👉 Send us a DM or message the team to find an available date.

08/06/2026

Help us keep the welcome open this EOFY.

Winter has hit, and with the rising cost of living, we are hearing from more locals who are being pushed to the brink. For many, the hardest part isn't just the cold weather - it's the deep isolation.

Recently, a woman walked into our Hub who hadn't spoken to another human being in over a week. She told us that she felt completely invisible. After a hot meal and a simple chat at our shared table, she looked us in the eye and said: "Thank you for remembering me."

With our new Community Hub now open 6 days a week, we are expanding our care so no one is left out in the cold. But we can't keep the kitchen running alone.

This EOFY, your gift keeps the welcome open:
* Give a One-Off Gift to help us meet urgent winter demand.
* Become a Monthly Partner to provide predictable, sustainable support.

Every donation over $2 is fully tax-deductible. Help us make sure there is always a seat ready.

Click the link to donate today and make a difference https://www.foothillscare.org.au/donate/

05/06/2026

Earlier this week, we launched our annual Socks and Underwear Winter appeal and we are excited to share 2 more drop-off locations.

A massive shout out to our great friends at both Community Bank Ferntree Gully 67 Station St Ferntree Gully, and Ferntree Gully Toyota 1101 Burwood Hwy Ferntree Gully for once again collecting on our behalf.

Each year, we are able to distribute brand new socks and underwear to locals in need of an extra hand up. For so many, these items are a luxury they simply cannot afford, not like most of us, something we don't even think about.

We invite you to donate to our appeal to make a real difference in others' lives this winter.

If you or your business, school, organization would also like to host a Giving Box, then please get in touch with us.

If you have a corporate contact with socks or underwear, we would love to hear from you as well.

We are collecting from now until the end of June, donations of men's, women's or children's goods

Thanks for your great support

04/06/2026

Earlier this week, we attended the biannual Community Bank Ferntree Gully Grants Night. This event is always a massive highlight for us, celebrating a beautiful partnership that has spanned our entire 24-year journey.

This year, we were completely blown away. Not only did we receive an incredible $6,000 grant on the night to directly support our community meals, but the Bank also surprised us with a massive commitment of $30,000 over the next three years!

To every Community Bank customer who chooses to bank locally, and to the wonderful board and staff, thank you. You make this possible, and we are incredibly grateful.

02/06/2026

Winter has definitely kicked in this week, and while it's cold and wet outside, inside at our weekly community meals things are warm

Every Monday in Upwey and Wednesday in Ferntree Gully (4-6pm) we open our
doors for nights full of hot, hearty meals, food parcels, good conversation, and connection.

These meals are open to anyone and everyone. It’s about so much more than just food, it's about community and belonging when people need it most.

A massive thank you to our incredible volunteers and donors who brave the winter chill to make these nights happen every single week.

Come on in out of the cold, this winter, everyone is welcome at our table!

01/06/2026

On this first day of winter, we are excited to launch our annual Foothills Socks & Underwear Winter Appeal
Each year, we are able to distribute brand new socks and underwear to locals in need of an extra hand up. For so many, these items are a luxury they simply cannot afford, not like most of us, something we don't even think about.
We invite you to donate to our appeal to make a real difference in others' lives this winter.
If you or your business, school, organization would also like to host a Giving Box, then please get in touch with us.
If you have a corporate contact with socks or underwear, we would love to hear from you as well.
From now until the end of June, donations of men's, women's or children's goods can be dropped off at these locations or contact us directly:
Foothills Community Hub - rear 62-64 Main St Upwey
Foothills Community Op-Shop, Tecoma - 89 Sandells Rd Tecoma
Watch this space for new locations being added regualrly.
Thanks for your great support
https://www.foothillscare.org.au/

Address

Foothills Community Care Hub/62-64 Main Street, Upwey/Find Us Above The IGA, Enter From The Rear Carpark
Upwey, VIC
3158

Telephone

+61493846017

Website

http://www.foothillscare.org.au/

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