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BENDIGO UFS

Community Impact

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Building a Healthier Community Program

Since 2005, our Building a Healthier Community Program has invested over $800,000 into local organisations dedicated to enhancing children's health, mental wellbeing, and community development.

From schools and sports clubs to cultural groups and support services, our grants have supported a diverse range of beneficiaries, including the Bendigo Youth Choir, Golden Square Football & Netball Club, St Luke’s Anglicare, and the Bendigo Autism Asperger Group. These contributions reflect our commitment to fostering a healthier, more connected community.

Five young children standing in a row against a pink wall, some holding basketballs, in an indoor space with a banner promoting a healthcare or community event.
A woman in a gray shirt is pouring chicked from a bucket into a box held by another woman wearing glasses and a black shirt at an outdoor setting with trees and dirt ground.
Group of five women harvesting carrots in a garden, smiling and laughing, wearing casual summer clothes and hats.

Partnership with Bendigo Foodshare

We're proud to support Bendigo Foodshare's 'Grow a Row, Pick a Branch' program with a $60,000 contribution over two years.

This grassroots initiative, initially developed with the support of VicHealth and Bendigo UFS, encourages local gardeners across Central Victoria to plant extra crops or harvest surplus produce to donate, ensuring fresh, healthy food reaches those in need.​

Since its inception in 2019, the program has distributed over 43,000 kilograms of fruit and vegetables. Our support has enabled the hiring of a part-time horticulturalist to expand the program, particularly engaging young people and strengthening our local food system.​

The aim is to increase production at Foodshare’s Golden Gums Farm, build skills and knowledge in growing food, and make more fresh, locally grown produce available to our community. It's a socially and ethically responsible way for Bendigo UFS to respond to the food crisis many people face.​

Learn more about 'Grow a Row, Pick a Branch' and how you can get involved.

Five young children standing in front of a pink wall with text, some holding basketballs, inside a community or health event.
A woman with long black hair and glasses wears a floral backpack and talks to two women at a health expo booth. The booth has informational brochures and a poster with a QR code. One woman is wearing a brown blazer, and the other is dressed in a whit
A woman in a pink blazer talking to three women holding brochures at an information booth.
Two women standing in a cornfield holding different types of gourds and squash, smiling at the camera.
Group of people walking on a dirt path through a farm or rural area with trees, corn, and small houses in the background on a sunny day.
People planting seeds in a garden bed outdoors on a sunny day.
Group of people harvesting carrots in a garden during daytime, smiling and enjoying outdoor activity.
Two women smiling and holding fresh carrots and greens in an outdoor garden on a sunny day.
Group of five people harvesting carrots from a farm field on a sunny day
Group of six women standing and talking in a garden with green plants, yellow flowers, and clear blue sky
Group of women having fun in a garden, splashing water and smiling during a sunny day.
Group of five people standing inside a store with pink and gold balloons, stuffed animals, and decorative items in the background.
A man with dark skin and dreadlocks sits at a table, getting a blood sample from his arm by a healthcare professional wearing a white coat inside a bright room with shelves of decorative items and products.
A woman with curly red hair in a black sleeveless top stands at a reception counter talking to a young female employee with long red hair. The employee is smiling, sitting behind a computer with a pink promotional sign on the monitor. The background displays a large TV screen and a round mirror on the wall.

Your Membership Makes a Difference

Every $14 annual membership directly contributes to our community initiatives. Half of your membership fee goes straight to partnerships like Bendigo Foodshare, amplifying our collective impact.​

Become a member today and be part of our community-focused mission.