South Australian families doing it tough on everyday essentials are set to get more support, with the SA Government investing an additional $2.8 million into services designed to make food and basic supplies more affordable.
The funding will be delivered through the Government’s Social Supermarket Program, with a major boost going to Baptist Care SA’s WestCare Centre in the Adelaide CBD, one of the busiest social supermarket services in the state.
The investment will help expand WestCare’s capacity through longer operating hours, upgraded infrastructure, a dedicated food delivery vehicle and stronger long-term sustainability, as demand for support continues to rise across Adelaide and beyond.
The Adelaide CBD and surrounding suburbs have been identified as areas facing high demand and limited supply, with grocery prices, fuel costs and broader household pressures driving more people to seek help.
Last financial year, around 16,500 people accessed WestCare’s service, and that figure is expected to climb again this year. Many people using the service are also buying food for others in their household, meaning its reach extends well beyond those walking through the door.
WestCare has seen just how sharply that demand has grown, with as many as 133 people attending in a single day, surpassing peaks recorded during the COVID period. Average daily visits now sit between 80 and 110 people.
Human Services Minister Katrine Hildyard said “We know many households are under pressure from grocery prices, fuel costs and broader financial strain, and we are determined to act in ways that make a difference to those who need a hand.”
“Services like social supermarkets play a vital role in helping people manage those pressures in a practical way.”
“This $2.8 million investment is part of a broader effort to ease cost-of-living pressures, with practical support already helping families, seniors and renters, and more relief on the way.”
“It reflects our government’s commitment to impactful, early and effective intervention and community-led solutions delivered in partnership with trusted organisations that meet people where they are, rather than waiting until families reach crisis point.”
“This investment ensures more South Australians can get the support they need, when they need it and is about stepping in early to help South Australians access affordable, nutritious food in a way that protects dignity, choice and respect.”
“This is part of a wider approach across government to support families earlier, and back community organisations that are already doing the hard work on the ground every day.”
WestCare Social Supermarket Manager Stefano Tocci said “When you’re feeding a family, every dollar matters and that’s why social supermarkets are experiencing record numbers and becoming an essential service for so many.”
The WestCare expansion forms part of the broader Social Supermarket Program, which is investing nearly $2.8 million across services in Seaford, Adelaide CBD and Port Pirie. The model is designed to help people access affordable food in a more dignified setting, while also linking them with wraparound support and community services.
The latest funding also sits within the Government’s wider cost-of-living agenda, which includes free public schools from 2027, expanded Seniors Card eligibility, broader sports vouchers, more out of school hours care, and housing support for renters, first home buyers and older South Australians.
As pressure on household budgets continues, the expanded social supermarket network is expected to provide another practical lifeline for South Australians needing support right now.
