Foothills Community Care - Community Meals

15/10/2026

From our Foothills Hub homebase in Upwey, we feel even more connected to the daily rhythm of our local community! 💚

​Have you been down Main Street this week and seen all the amazing artwork for the Upwey Archies portrait competition? 🎨✨

​We’re so thrilled to see that one of our talented volunteers, Amber, has painted an incredible portrait of our very own Foothills chef, Laura! Well done Amber! 🖼️

The painting captures Laura hard at work in the Foothills kitchen, preparing meals to share with our community.

​If you haven’t checked out the exhibition yet, take a stroll down Main Street and vote for your favorite - it’s such a wonderful celebration of local talent and community spirit.

​While you’re out and about, why not pop into the Foothills Hub (located just behind the IGA)? Say hi to Laura and the amazing volunteers who keep our kitchen ticking over, serving up 50,000 free meals a year! 🍲

​Plus, Laura’s been busy baking and prepping for our café this week! You can grab:

🍫 A super chocolatey brownie

🥪 A delicious Reuben or Aloo Masala toasted sandwich

​Stay for a cuppa, enjoy a treat, and say hello! We'd love to see you. 👋☕

12/10/2026

Since opening our new Hub, our Bingo Nights have been a real highlight for our community! 🎉❤️

We’re so excited to bring the fun back on Friday 23rd October in partnership with -Ferntree Gully Rotary. Come down, enjoy the atmosphere, and help us make a difference - all proceeds go directly to supporting Foothills Community Care and our local community meals programs.

✨ The Details:
• 🍽️ 6:00 PM: Doors open & dinner availiable (Meat & veggie options, other dietaries if you order ahead)
• 🎱 7:00 PM: Eyes down for Bingo!
• 💰 Cash prizes, bonus games, and raffles
• ☕ Hot/cold drinks and snacks available for purchase at the cafe all evening

🎟️ Tickets: Entry from $10 | Bingo books $3 (15 games per book)

Spots inside the Hub are limited, so tag your bingo buddies and book early! 👇
https://bingo-at-foothills.raiselysite.com/

06/10/2026

Share the Joy this Christmas with a Reverse Advent Calendar! 🎁✨

Instead of receiving a treat each day leading up to Christmas, our 2026 Reverse Advent Calendar invites you to give back! Collect one non-perishable food item or essential gift each day for 25 days. By December, you’ll have a complete hamper packed with love to bless a local family doing it tough across the Dandenong Ranges and Knox regions. ❤️

How to get involved in 3 easy steps:

1️⃣ Register with us: Let us know you're participating (as an individual, family, workplace, or school)
2️⃣ Collect your items: Download the 2026 Shopping List & Calendar and collect throughout November.
3️⃣ Drop off: Bring your completed hamper to the Foothills Community Hub in Upwey or a designated collection point by 10 December 2026.
Let’s ensure everyone has a place at the table this season. 🎄

👉 Learn more at https://www.foothillscare.org.au/christmas/

02/10/2026

🍽️ Supporting Local Food Relief 🍽️

This month, Community Bank Upwey & District and Community Bank Emerald & District will provided $9,500 to support local organisations in continuing their vital charity food programs.

Our quarterly support throughout the 2026/2027 financial year makes a meaningful difference to those doing it tough in our community.

A huge thank you to the incredible teams at:

✨ The Philanthropic Collective (Olinda)
✨ Foothills Community Care - Community Meals (Upwey)
✨ Dandenong Ranges Emergency Relief Service Inc. (Belgrave and Cockatoo)
✨ The Food Store at St. Luke's (Cockatoo)
✨ Fernlea Community Care (Emerald)

Your work helps ensure that no one in our community goes without support when it’s needed most.

🫶 Thank you to our customers. Your support makes sponsorships like this possible. We look forward to welcoming you to the branch at Upwey or Emerald soon.

Insta:

02/10/2026

This is what it looks like for community to work together and take care of each other! 😍

Times are very tough at the moment for many in our local community. We're so grateful for the support of the Community Bank Dandenong Ranges, and others, for financially supporting Foothills and other amazing community organisations to make sure everyone has access to food and connection in the Dandenong Ranges.

🍽️ Supporting Local Food Relief 🍽️

This month, Community Bank Upwey & District and Community Bank Emerald & District will provided $9,500 to support local organisations in continuing their vital charity food programs.

Our quarterly support throughout the 2026/2027 financial year makes a meaningful difference to those doing it tough in our community.

A huge thank you to the incredible teams at:

✨ The Philanthropic Collective (Olinda)
✨ Foothills Community Care - Community Meals (Upwey)
✨ Dandenong Ranges Emergency Relief Service Inc. (Belgrave and Cockatoo)
✨ The Food Store at St. Luke's (Cockatoo)
✨ Fernlea Community Care (Emerald)

Your work helps ensure that no one in our community goes without support when it’s needed most.

🫶 Thank you to our customers. Your support makes sponsorships like this possible. We look forward to welcoming you to the branch at Upwey or Emerald soon.

Insta:

30/09/2026

Ooooh, yum! Have you seen what Cat has going on at the Foothills Hub Cafe this week?

So many treats! 😍

☕ Pop in tomorrow or Friday and Dan the Amazing Barista will serve you the best coffee you've ever had (no pressure Dan 😆)!

28/09/2026

Great article out today celebrating 24 years of compassionate and visionary leadership from Foothills founder Stephen Barrington.

From day one, Stephen’s heart and vision have shaped Foothills into a place of hope, inclusion, and connection - and it all started with a Christmas lunch.

As we approach our milestone 25th Christmas, we are deeply grateful for everything Stephen has built and we're excited for this next chapter.

Foothills Community Care founder Stephen Barrington steps down as CEO after 24 years, moving into community partnerships.

23/09/2026

🫶 Every year Foothills shares over 50,000 free meals with the local community. This wouldn't be possible without the support of our community partners.​

​We are so grateful for the generous donations of dry groceries and toiletries that roll through our doors.

Here are some of our community partners who support us with pantry items, and a look at how these amazing contributions make a real difference:

​🛒 Saint Thomas' Anglican Church Upper Ferntree Gully

For the past six years, Stephen, Iola, and Margot have been regular donors of non-perishable goods. These items help stock our free community pantry! Rather than pre-packing bags, we invite guests connecting with our Community Casseroles program to choose exactly what they need and foods their household will enjoy. Having a variety of goods gives people choice and a feeling of welcome and care.

​🍳 (SSSGC) Sri Sathya Sai Global Council Australia

Sanjay regularly drops into our Ferntree Gully meal with a car packed full of kitchen staples - huge bags of rice, large bottles of oil, and commercial-sized tins. While we rescue as much food as possible to keep costs down, having these bulk staples donated helps our kitchen keep going.

​🌸 Share the Dignity

Leonie drops off supplies of locally donated pads, tampons, and incontinence pads. Essential products that are sometimes unaffordable for many in our community. Thanks to this support, we keep free period products accessible in our op-shop changerooms (with bags provided for a discreet pick-up), our bathrooms, and our pantry.

​🤝 Is your workplace, church, school, or community group looking to make a local impact?

Partnering with us helps directly support neighbors doing it tough. Whether it’s running a drive for non-perishable groceries or collecting essential toiletries, your group can make a massive difference.

​📩 Send us a direct message or drop us an email to get your group involved today!

21/09/2026

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS - NEIGHBOURHOOD LOUNGE ROOM 🌼☕🧩

School holidays are here, and the Foothills Hub is open as your cozy Neighbourhood Lounge Room! 🏠✨

It’s a warm, welcoming space to slow down, connect with local friendly faces, and enjoy some relaxed time together.

What’s waiting for you:
🥪 Cafe treats: Fresh toasties, sweet baked goods & barista drinks (10am–2pm)
🧸 For the kids: A play area with lots of toys
🎲For everyone: Board games set up on the tables, puzzles to add to, or a quiet book nook to unwind

🗓️ SPRING HOLIDAY HOURS (10am–4pm, cafe open until 2pm): THIS WEEK: Tue – Thu (CLOSED Friday for the Public Holiday) NEXT WEEK: Tue – Fri

👉 HOW TO FIND US: Main St Upwey (above the IGA, enter from the carpark at the back of the shops). Take the stairs or ramp up!

Pull up a chair, let us serve you a fantastic coffee while the kids play. Make yourself at home (wear your slippers if you want) - we can’t wait to see you! 💛

18/09/2026

A New Chapter for Foothills Community Care 💛

For 24 years, our Foothills family has grown alongside the needs of our Dandenong Ranges and Knox communities and today, we’re sharing an important update about our journey ahead!

After 24 remarkable years of founding and leading Foothills, our CEO Stephen Barrington is stepping down as CEO into a new strategic growth role. This decision comes as part of a thoughtful, two-year intentional leadership transition conversation with our Foothills board to ensure Foothills is set up to thrive for decades to come.

The great news? Stephen isn't going anywhere! He will remain a vital part of our team in a part-time role, focusing on strategic partnerships, funding, and continuing to share the heart of our story. We are endlessly grateful for his vision, compassion, role modeling and foundational leadership.

Stephen shares the following statement;
"Looking back over 24 years, I am so proud of what this community has built together - creating safe spaces where people can gather, connect, and contribute. Inclusion, hospitality, generosity, and compassion have always been the heart of Foothills. This step is the result of two years of intentional planning to ensure Foothills thrives well into the future, and I’m deeply grateful to stay on the team for what lies ahead as we serve our community."

Shortly, we’ll be sharing details about a special event where we can all come together to honor Stephen and celebrate our shared Foothills journey.

To guide us through this next season, we are thrilled to welcome Kaye Reid as our Intentional Transition CEO. Kaye brings a wealth of experience in business, pastoral care, and organisational leadership, and will work closely with our Board and team to prepare us for the future.

We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Alice Garrick for her steady, compassionate leadership as Interim CEO while Stephen was on Long Service Leave recently. Alice steps back into her Operations Manager role, overseeing all of our programs and operations and leading our amazing team.

Our core heart, values, and day-to-day programs at the Hub remain unchanged - we are as committed as ever to serving our community with compassion, inclusion, generosity and hospitality so that everyone is welcome at our table

We look forward to this next season together

Read the full letter from our Board, including some FAQs about the transition: 👇
https://bit.ly/4yJWjlQ