Across the road from Clovie Baptist Church in Modbury North is one of Adelaide’s busiest food relief hubs, Pathway Community Centre. On any given day, around 150 households come through its doors for a hamper of groceries. For these families, it is often the difference between going hungry and getting through another week.
The scale of the operation is remarkable. Pathway partners with SecondBite, OzHarvest, Aldi, Costco and Woolworths to collect and distribute food to households living in the north-eastern suburbs, from Tea Tree Gully and Campbelltown to Northfield and Gawler. Each fortnight, roughly 2000 households receive support. “We collect two pallets a day from SecondBite,” says Pathway’s director, Noelle Wallis. “ We never know day to day what we will receive, so every day is a walk of faith.”
The centre’s food program, which has been running in some form for over 15 years, took off after the 2015 Sampson Flat bushfires, when Clovie Baptist became a relief hub. It was at this time that Pathway connected with OzHarvest and Second Bite, and the church’s food relief ministry boomed. The centre has since evolved into a lifeline for thousands of people navigating the rising cost of living.
In just the first half of 2025, more than 600 new clients sought help from Pathway. “We’re seeing more families with jobs, or even double incomes, that can no longer make ends meet,” says Noelle. “By the time people come to our doors, some parents haven’t been eating regularly so their children can eat.”
With the increase in households seeking food relief, the team moved from weekly to fortnightly hampers and introduced a zone in order to maintain the sustainability of the service. Before, they would have people come from all over Adelaide, sometimes spending two or more hours on public transport, to seek assistance. The new zone ensures people are accessing help in their own communities. “It is so much better for them to be engaging with support in their own area,” says Noelle. “But as the numbers continue to rise, it is by faith that we continue to support our community,” she adds.
Each hamper is built with love and care, and typically includes fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, pantry staples, and at least two portions of meat, when available. “It’s rare, but there are days when there is no meat,” Noelle says. “And then we pray and we see God’s provision.”
The recently opened Wellbeing Centre expands Pathway’s focus beyond food relief. Built after years of planning and prayer, it hosts counselling, financial assistance, and community programs. “Otherwise, food relief is just a band-aid,” Noelle says. “We want to walk alongside people so they can move forward.”
One of the centre’s most practical supports is the No Interest Loan Scheme, which helps clients purchase essentials, like a fridge or a laptop, without falling into crippling payday debt. “There’s so much pride in knowing, ‘I bought this myself,’” she says. “It restores dignity.”
The centre runs on about 160 active volunteers, many who have queued for food themselves. Every morning, the team gathers for a short meeting, sharing stories, updates and prayer requests. “Even volunteers who don’t have a faith will ask for prayer,” Noelle says. “They see the miracles that happen here.”
The heart of Pathway, Noelle explains, is simple: “We have received God’s love, so we treat others with love.” It’s an ethos that’s attracted volunteers, community partners and even sceptics. “One of our volunteers said, ‘I don’t have faith, but I can’t deny that’s a miracle,’ after watching donations arrive exactly when we needed them.”
Earlier this year, when Pathway’s ageing van finally gave out, they prayed for a solution. Within three months, without fundraising or publicity, an extra $78,000 in donations arrived. It was enough to buy a refrigerated truck. “And after that, the extra money stopped flowing in,” she says. “God knew what we needed.”
In a time when food insecurity is rising rapidly, Pathway’s practical support and compassion is changing lives. “We see people go from crisis to flourishing,” she says. “That’s what we’re here for.”
Words by
Lucy C Budzynska
Freelance Writer
Glen Osmond Baptist Church
