SecondBite has successfully partnered with Victoria University (VU) for a second year to provide free and nutritious takeaway meals for VU students.

Since SecondBite first collaborated with Victoria University in July 2021, a dedicated team of staff and student volunteers has given out thousands of meal packs to support vulnerable students affected by the pandemic.

The service runs twice a week from an outdoor pop-up tent at the university’s Footscray Nicholson Campus.

Registered students can choose from five healthy meals that vary each week, based on ingredients available.

Food packs are available to cater to multiple diets which accomodate both meat and vegetarian options like beef and basil, mustard spiced chicken, and mixed vegetable braise with miso.

SecondBite food distributed by VU LEADERS

This week, VU Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Shoemaker and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (People and Organisation) Professor Peter Radoll joined the team to distribute the meals and meet students.

“This is a fantastic initiative that provides very practical support for our students.”

“Not only is it making a difference to their lives, but it also recognises the University’s commitment to protecting Country by helping us recover healthy food that can often go to waste,” said Professor Shoemaker.

Luciano Freire, an international student who recently arrived from Brazil to study a Master of Secondary Education, said the service was very important to students like him who are managing their money on a tight student budget. “I go weekly and I calculate I am saving about $50 a week. I always enjoy the variety of food and I like meeting other students, including students like myself from other countries.”

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