Households under pressure from rent and grocery costs usually cut back long before they ask for help, and many of them are working. This explains how the Grocery Drive collects groceries, how families are connected to it, what a pack holds, and how to contribute or volunteer.

AusRelief's Grocery Drive provides food relief in Sydney by collecting groceries through tubs in local supermarkets, then sorting and delivering them to schools, women's shelters and households under financial pressure. Here's how it runs, how families are connected to it, and how you can contribute or volunteer.

Key takeaways

·       The Grocery Drive collects groceries through AusRelief donation tubs placed in selected Woolworths, Coles and IGA stores across Sydney.

·       The team collects, sorts and distributes those donations to local schools, women's shelters, families experiencing financial pressure and people accessing AusRelief's local programmes.

·       Households are usually connected through a school, shelter or local programme they already know, so support arrives through people who understand their situation.

·       A team of young people with disabilities is involved in every stage, from collections and sorting to deliveries.

·       You can add groceries to a tub, contribute funds, fundraise with others, or apply to volunteer.

Why households in Sydney look for grocery help

Most households under pressure adjust for a long time before they ask anyone for help. They switch brands, shop in smaller amounts, and plan meals around what's on special. Rent usually comes out first because it's fixed, so the grocery budget becomes the part of the week that absorbs every other rise. And many of these households are working, which is part of why the strain stays out of view.

That pattern has built up over years. Housing and food costs have both climbed, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics tracks those price changes through the Consumer Price Index. So for most families the pressure doesn't lift when one bill is paid. The Grocery Drive exists for that gap, between cutting back and running short, so households can keep the essentials steady while they manage everything else.

How the Grocery Drive programme works

The Grocery Drive Program is a community-led initiative supporting families across Sydney with ongoing groceries and essential items. It starts at the supermarket checkout. First, AusRelief places collection tubs in selected Woolworths, Coles and IGA stores through partnerships with each store, so shoppers can add a few extra essentials during their weekly shop. After that, the team collects the donations, sorts them, and distributes them to local schools, women's shelters, families experiencing financial pressure, and individuals accessing urgent support through AusRelief's local programmes.

On top of that, the groceries supply a wider network of local support. The same collections help power crisis and emergency support, women and family support, school support programmes and emergency assistance. That means a single collection supports several kinds of local help at once.

Who runs the Grocery Drive

A team of young people with disabilities supports the programme, and they're involved in every stage, from collections and sorting to deliveries and community engagement. Through the work, they build confidence, develop practical skills and form strong connections within the community. So the drive works in more than one direction, with community supporting community. It sits comfortably alongside AusRelief's wider disability care work, which is built on the same idea of practical participation.

How families are connected to grocery support

Households usually reach the Grocery Drive through people and places they already know. Deliveries go to local schools, women's shelters and AusRelief's local programmes, so support arrives through a teacher, a shelter worker or a support worker who already understands the family's circumstances. That matters, because speaking with a trusted contact is often easier than approaching an unfamiliar service from scratch. In fact, community referrals and ongoing care are part of what AusRelief's women and family support provides, which means a family connected once can stay connected.

Where can I get food help in Sydney?

If you're looking for grocery help for your own household, start with the people already around you. Your child's school, a local community service or a women's service may be able to connect you with support. You can also call AusRelief on 1300 TO HELP (1300 864 357) to ask about its local programmes. For government assistance, Services Australia's crisis and special help page lists payments and ways to find community support near you.

What goes into a grocery pack

A grocery pack is built from what Sydney shoppers place in the tubs, so it holds everyday groceries and essential items, and the exact contents change from one collection to the next. The team sorts every donation before it goes out, which turns a mixed collection into supplies a school, shelter or household can put to use.

So if you're choosing what to add at the checkout, practical items help most. Sealed pantry staples that keep well, along with everyday household essentials, are easy to collect, sort and store until delivery. Still, any contribution added to a tub becomes part of the next round of sorting.

Where to find a Grocery Drive donation tub

AusRelief donation tubs sit in 20 supermarkets across Sydney, so you can add to the drive during your usual shop.

Suburb	Store
Auburn	Woolworths
Bankstown	Coles and Woolworths
Bass Hill	Woolworths
Belmore	IGA
Berala	Woolworths
Chester Hill	Woolworths
Chipping Norton	Coles
Chullora	Woolworths
Clempton Park	Coles
Fairfield	Woolworths
Granville	Woolworths
Greenacre	Coles
Lakemba	Woolworths
Oatley	Coles
Punchbowl	Woolworths
Revesby	Coles
Riverwood	Woolworths
Roselands	Coles and Woolworths

 

How you can help families managing rising grocery costs

There are three main ways to help: add groceries to a tub, contribute funds, or give your time. Anyone can get involved, no matter the amount.

If you want to	Option	How it works
Add groceries during your shop	Donation tub	Place essentials in an AusRelief tub at a participating supermarket
Contribute funds	Quick donate	Choose the Grocery Drive as your cause
Give on an ongoing basis	Recurring donation	Set up a regular contribution to the programme
Raise funds with others	Fundraising	A workplace, school or family group gives together
Run your own campaign	Start a fundraiser	You set the goal and share the page with your network
Give your time	Volunteering	Apply through the volunteer application form

 

Volunteering is open to people of all ages and backgrounds. The Get Involved page lists the Grocery Drive among the local programmes volunteers support, and the application form there is the starting point.

How you know your support reaches households

AusRelief Limited is a registered Australian charity and Public Benevolent Institution, and it's endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient. Its details sit on the ACNC Charity Register, which is public and free to search. On top of that, the ATO explains how tax deductions for gifts and donations work, and sector expectations are set out separately in the ACFID Code of Conduct. AusRelief also publishes its annual report, and who we are names the team, including the Grocery Drive lead.

What steady local support makes possible

Steady groceries change what else a household can plan for. When the pantry is covered, families can put their attention on rent, school costs and work, and they keep making those decisions themselves. That's a small shift on paper. In practice it takes one recurring pressure off the list.

The same thinking guides AusRelief's food aid overseas, where food distributions are planned around what households need. Here in Sydney, the Grocery Drive is one of several local projects working side by side. When supporters give together, the impact grows, supporting more families, more consistently.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get food help in Sydney?

Start with a service you already know, such as your child's school, a local community service or a women's service, since many can connect you with grocery support. You can also call AusRelief on 1300 TO HELP (1300 864 357) to ask about its local programmes. Services Australia's crisis and special help page lists government payments and ways to find community support nearby.

Which charities provide grocery support to families in Sydney, and how do I access it?

AusRelief runs the Grocery Drive, which supports families across Sydney with ongoing groceries and essential items. Support is distributed through local schools, women's shelters and AusRelief's local programmes, so most households are connected through one of those. If you're unsure where to start, call AusRelief on 1300 TO HELP (1300 864 357) and ask about local support.

How do I donate food to families in Sydney?

Place groceries in an AusRelief donation tub at one of 20 participating Woolworths, Coles and IGA stores across Sydney, including Auburn, Bankstown, Lakemba, Fairfield and Roselands. The team collects, sorts and delivers those items to schools, shelters and households. You can also contribute funds by choosing the Grocery Drive as your cause on the AusRelief website.

How can I help families in Sydney managing rising grocery costs?

You can add groceries to a donation tub during your weekly shop, contribute funds to the Grocery Drive, or set up a regular contribution. You can also fundraise with your workplace, school or family, or apply to volunteer through AusRelief's Get Involved page. Anyone can get involved, no matter the amount, and every option supports the same programme.

Can I volunteer with the AusRelief Grocery Drive?

Yes. AusRelief welcomes volunteers of all ages and backgrounds, and its Get Involved page lists the Grocery Drive among the local programmes volunteers support. You apply through the volunteer application form on that page. The programme itself is supported by a team of young people with disabilities involved in collections, sorting, deliveries and community engagement.

Are donations to AusRelief tax deductible?

AusRelief Limited is endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient and is registered as a charity and Public Benevolent Institution. That means eligible donations can be claimed as a tax deduction, subject to the ATO's rules on gifts and donations. You can confirm AusRelief's registration on the ACNC Charity Register, which is public and free to search.

Want to help keep groceries steady for families across Sydney?

Visit the Grocery Drive Program to contribute, find your nearest donation tub, or learn how to volunteer.