Our Services
Free Foodbank
The primary activity of KCC, and the reason it was established, is to provide an efficient, well-stocked and generous foodbank service to those in our community who find themselves in need.  The KCC foodbank is registered with and receives food from Foodbank Victoria and Bendigo Foodshare, but also relies heavily on the generosity of the local community for much of the food required for those in need within our broader community.  Thanks to the generosity of our food donors the KCC foodbank provides a wide range of good quality, wholesome foods (including fresh fruit and vegetables, dry goods, and prepared meals), as well as other critical household items and personal hygiene products. 

​Opportunity Shop
The KCC Opportunity Shop is a deliberately low-cost second-hand shop that has two distinct purposes.  Firstly, the shop is the primary source of funding for the organisation and is largely responsible for making possible the other important activities, such as the free foodbank.  Secondly, the shop provides those in need with access to very affordable clothes, toys, household items and books - an important service to the community.  The pricing strategy of the shop not only makes these items accessible to those in the community in need, but also provides those experienced “op shoppers” with the chance to snare a bargain - just like the good old days of “op shop shopping”.

​Drop-In-Centre & Soup Kitchen
A logical extension to the free foodbank service, the drop-in-centre provides a safe and friendly environment for our clients to stop for a chat and some welcome community.  The dedicated staff and volunteers provide friendly faces and someone to talk to if needed.  It is also intended for the drop-in-centre to provide a regular soup kitchen service.

​Emergency Relief Support
In the event of personal emergencies and especially difficult times, KCC can provide a range of emergency support to those in need.  This support includes, clothing, food, personal hygiene products, furniture and other household items. 

​Work for the Dole Program
KCC is a Work for the Dole Host Organisation as part of the Australian Government’s jobactive employment service.  We are proud to play our role in providing work experience to help job seekers from within our community gain new skills while they look for work, and we have had very positive outcomes through the program.

​Need Assessment and Referral Service
Through regular engagement with our free foodbank clients, a range of other personal challenges and/or needs are often identified.  KCC has always attempted to provide a low-level need assessment and referral service for our foodbank clients, by facilitating introductions and referrals to the relevant local health and other support agencies.  However, through our increased engagement with the community over the past 18 months, we have identified a growing need for this service and are planning to expand this offering in the near future. 

​Community Foodbank Mentor and Support Program
While our core activities are deliberately focused on our own local community, KCC has identified a number of other communities in our region who have similar needs to that of the Kyneton area.  Given our philosophy of “our community - supporting those in need - within our community”, it makes sense for us to support establishing similar organisations in those communities, rather than stretch our reach to service those communities.  As a result, KCC is in the process of setting up a “mentor and support program” to assist other local communities within our region to establish a similar service for their communities.  In addition to providing advice based on our experience gleaned over the past 5 years, this program will in some circumstances include KCC providing support as a foodbank distribution partner, leveraging our long-established relationships with Foodbank Victoria and Bendigo Foodshare.