At the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Footscray, volunteers help create a calm and welcoming space where people can choose food and essentials that suit their household.

We meet Laura and Maria, two volunteers whose stories show how volunteering can bring connection, purpose and belonging.

FareShare stayed in Doug’s mind for years before the time felt right to volunteer. He nearly did not apply, but on his first day, a 90-minute shift turned into several hours of helping.

Some families pass down recipes. Clare is passing down volunteering.

When Clare brought her daughter Matilda along for her very first FareShare shift, volunteering became more than giving time to others. It became a shared family experience, built on connection, learning by doing and showing the next generation what community contribution can look like.

Louise has spent many years as a dietitian helping people understand the importance of nutritious food. But through her work, she also saw that for many people, the challenge was not knowing what to eat, it was being able to afford it.

Now, every second Monday, Louise volunteers in FareShare’s kitchen, turning her professional understanding of food and health into practical action for people experiencing food insecurity.

After around 15 years of volunteering with FareShare, Joan knows the journey from farm to kitchen better than most. Volunteering four days a week across the Abbotsford kitchen and Clayton farm, she can even recognise the cauliflowers she helped grow and harvest when they arrive in the kitchen ready to become part of someone’s meal.

Step inside FareShare’s bright and highly organised Abbotsford kitchen, where around 1,300 volunteers work together to prepare nutritious meals with care, dignity and connection.

We discovered a happy beehive of activity, with a meaningful story behind every volunteer.

When Gabriela Santos arrived in Australia from Brazil, she had to rebuild her confidence, professional network and sense of belonging from the ground up. Through volunteering and community participation, she found friendship, new opportunities and, almost a year later, secured her first paid role in Australia.

Dilnaz Billimoria joined Volunteer West's National Volunteer Week Volunteer Engager Network gathering to share reflections on volunteering, inclusion and community connection. Bringing together around 50 community members and organisations from across Melbourne's west, the event sparked meaningful conversations about how volunteering continues to evolve.

A room filled with music, conversation and volunteers working side by side. During our visit to Vinnies Soup Vans in Kensington, Bill and Lenie shared how simple, consistent acts of kindness can help build a strong sense of community.

As we approach National Volunteer Week (18–24 May), we would like to share a small story about Wendy, a volunteer we met during our visit to Foodbank Victoria a couple of months ago.

At the Moonee Valley Festival, we spotted a familiar face. Darren McClelland, who we have worked with for years through Friends of the Maribyrnong Valley, came over to say hello.

But this time, he was not there with them. Darren was volunteering with Moonee Valley Sustainability.

During our visit to Foodbank Victoria’s new warehouse in Altona, we saw how small moments, shared morning tea, friendly conversations and welcoming spaces, help build a strong volunteer community.

After navigating the settlement journey himself, Ibrahim now supports refugee and migrant families so they do not have to face the process alone.

When Namrata arrived in Australia in February 2025, she was beginning a completely new chapter in her life. She had left her home country, her family, and the work she knew, and moved to Australia to build a new life with her husband.

Our recent workshop in Altona brought together professionals navigating career change, illness recovery and new beginnings, exploring how volunteering can support confidence, connection and future opportunities.

When Annie stepped away from full-time work, she wanted to stay engaged and give back to her community. Through Volunteer West, she found her place at Kororoit Creek Neighbourhood House, supporting a carers’ group where connection, kindness, and culture come together.

More than 100 people came together on Bunurong Country for a meaningful morning of planting, storytelling, cultural learning and community connection during our NAIDOC Week celebration.

As National Reconciliation Week came to a close, a member of the Volunteer West team joined the River Ramble for Reconciliation Walk along the Maribyrnong River, a meaningful community gathering centred on reflection, connection and walking together toward a more respectful future.

During National Volunteer Week, the Volunteer West team joined the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre to celebrate volunteering through sweets, stories and shared memories of home, while also meeting Rob, one of ASRC’s longest-serving volunteers, now in his 23rd year of service.

A visit to Rotary Donations in Kind (DIK) reveals how a warehouse run entirely by volunteers becomes a place of connection, purpose and quiet impact, through people like Long, who has been giving his time for over two decades.