Banyule Support & Information Centre

What Banyule Support & Information Centre does

Banyule Support & Information Centre (BANSIC) is a not-for-profit, incorporated community support organization headquartered at Shop 48, The Harmony Centre, Bell Street Mall, Heidelberg West, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1972 as the Heidelberg Citizens Advice Bureau and renamed BANSIC following the amalgamation of local councils in the 1990s, the organization has provided over 50 years of continuous service to residents of the southern area of the City of Banyule. BANSIC delivers an integrated suite of social services including emergency relief (food parcels, material aid), the Foodhub food distribution program, Pharmacy Assist medication support, educational assistance, advocacy and referral, energy relief, financial counselling, tax help, and the New to Me Shop op shop. Service eligibility is restricted to residents of postcodes 3084, 3085, 3081, and 3079 who hold a current Health Care Card, with Foodhub open to a broader catchment.

The organization is volunteer-intensive: of approximately 8 people involved, only 1 paid manager and 1 paid coordinator receive compensation, with the remaining workforce drawn from trained community volunteers and supported by a Committee of Management (President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and ordinary members). Revenue is generated through a mix of donations (tax-deductible via Deductible Gift Recipient status granted by the Australian Taxation Office), government grants from Banyule City Council, the Victorian State Government, and the Australian Government of Social Services, retail proceeds from the op shop, the Container Deposit Scheme, and community fundraising. BANSIC is supported by a broad referral and supply network including Centrelink, Food Bank, Second Bite, Orange Sky Laundry, Bendigo Bank, Aldi, Bunnings, Rotary Clubs of Heidelberg and Rosanna, and local educational institutions.

The business model is fundamentally a place-based community services model rather than a technology platform: there is no proprietary software, no AI capability, no digital product, and no scale-driven GTM motion. Service delivery is in-person during Monday–Friday operating hours (10am–3pm), with awareness driven by the website (bansic.org.au), social media, and community referrals. Notable reported impact for the 2025-2026 fiscal year includes $9,307 in material aid distributed, 594,942 units of food support, and $11,411.40 in medication support, providing a partial proxy for throughput scale.

Name

Banyule Support & Information Centre

Legal name

BANSIC-Banyule Support and Information Centre

Website

https://bansic.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BANSIC is a volunteer-led not-for-profit community support organization in Heidelberg West, Victoria, providing emergency relief, food assistance, medication support, advocacy, financial counselling, and an op shop to Health Care Card holders residing in four Banyule postcodes (3084, 3085, 3081, 3079).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Community Food Services (62421), Other Community Housing Services (624229)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

Keywords

• Emergency relief services
• Community support
• Food assistance programs
• Financial counselling
• Social welfare services

Headquarters

HQ city

Heidelberg West

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: BANSIC is a registered charity with deductible gift receipt (DRG) status from the Australian Taxation Office. Donations greater than $2 are tax deductible. The organization accepts one-off and regular donations, GoFundMe contributions, material donations, and participates in the Container Deposit Scheme.
2. Government Funding and Grants: BANSIC receives funding support from government sources including Banyule City Council, Victorian State Government, and Australian Government of Social Services. Funding has included community grants for training programs.
3. Op Shop (New to Me Shop) Revenue: The organization operates an op shop that generates revenue to support community programs. Material donations of clothing, household items, and other goods are sold.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

BANSIC is a not-for-profit community support organization providing free emergency relief, food assistance (Foodhub), medication support, advocacy, energy relief, educational assistance, financial counselling, tax help, and op shop services to eligible residents of southern Banyule, Victoria. Services are delivered in-person at Shop 48, The Harmony Centre, Heidelberg West, and target individuals and families facing food and financial insecurity, homelessness, social isolation, and marginalisation.

Product overview

BANSIC is a not-for-profit community support organization offering a coordinated suite of social services to residents of southern Banyule, Victoria. The organization operates as a single integrated service model rather than a platform architecture, providing emergency relief, food assistance through Foodhub, educational support, medication/pharmacy assistance, advocacy and referral services, energy relief, op shop retail, financial counselling, tax help, and cooking programs. These services share a common intake and assessment process and are delivered through their physical location at Shop 48, The Harmony Centre, Heidelberg West.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Foodhub: Food assistance program providing food relief to community members in need
• New to Me Shop

Products and services

• Emergency Relief Provides immediate material and financial assistance to eligible residents facing crisis situations, including food parcels and emergency support. Available to Health Care Card holders residing in postcodes 3084, 3085, 3081, 3079.
• Foodhub Food relief program providing fresh and non-perishable food items to community members in need. Foodhub assistance may be accessed regardless of postcode.
• Educational Assistance Support services to assist families and individuals with educational needs, including back-to-school relief.
• Pharmacy Assist (Medication Support) Provides medication assistance and pharmacy support to eligible community members who cannot afford essential medications.
• Advocacy, Advice, Information and Referral Provides advocacy services, advice, information and referrals to connect clients with appropriate support services across the social services ecosystem.
• Energy Relief Assistance program helping residents with energy costs and utility bills.
• New to Me Shop (Op Shop) Second-hand retail shop selling donated clothing, household items, and other goods, with proceeds supporting BANSIC's community services.
• Financial Counselling Professional financial counselling to help individuals manage debt, budget, and navigate financial difficulties.
• Tax Help Free tax assistance service to help community members with tax returns and ATO matters.
• Cooking Connections Community cooking program connecting people through food preparation and shared meals to reduce social isolation.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 3081 AngelsminorOthersCommunity support organization providing financial and material support services.
• AldiminorOthersMajor retailer providing food donations and product support to the organization.
• Bendigo BankminorOthersBendigo Community Bank East Ivanhoe and Heidelberg provide community support and donations.
• BunningsminorOthersHardware retailer providing donations and support for community initiatives.
• CentrelinkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGovernment service provider for social security payments and services. Clients typically need Health Care Cards from Centrelink to access BANSIC services.
• Food BankcoreOthersMajor food relief organization providing food supplies for distribution to those in need.
• Ivanhoe Grammar SchoolminorOthersLocal educational institution engaged in community support activities.
• Melbourne PolytechnicminorOthersEducational institution providing training support and community engagement.
• Orange Sky LaundryminorOthersMobile laundry service for people experiencing homelessness, providing laundry services to vulnerable community members.
• Rotary Club of HeidelbergminorOthersService club providing volunteer support, fundraising, and community service.
• Rotary Club of RosannaminorOthersService club providing volunteer support and community service assistance.
• Second BitecoreOthersFood rescue organization providing fresh food for clients, partnering to reduce food waste while supporting community nutrition.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Mission Australia: National community services organisation running emergency relief, housing support, and food assistance programs, including in Victoria. Comparable in multi-service frontline support for people facing disadvantage.
• Salvation Army Australia: One of Australia's largest emergency relief and community service providers, operating food programs, financial counselling, and material aid across Victoria and nationally. Directly comparable to BANSIC's integrated emergency relief, food, and advocacy model, though at a much larger scale.
• Second Bite: Food rescue organisation redistributing surplus food to community partners including BANSIC. Operates an adjacent food-relief model in the same metro Melbourne and Victoria footprint as BANSIC.
• Anglicare Victoria: Major Victorian community services agency delivering emergency relief, family support, food programs, and financial counselling. Operates in the same Melbourne metro footprint as BANSIC with overlapping service categories and target populations.
• Uniting (Victoria and Tasmania): Major Victorian community services provider operating emergency relief, food programs, financial counselling, and community support. Notably, BANSIC previously operated from a Uniting Church property, evidencing close geographic and operational overlap.
• OzHarvest: Australia's leading rescued-food distributor and operator of community meal programs. Highly comparable in food-relief mission to BANSIC's Foodhub, with overlapping supplier partners and national reach.
• The Smith Family: National charity delivering educational support, material aid, and family assistance to disadvantaged children. Comparable to BANSIC's educational assistance and back-to-school programs delivered in the same Victoria catchment.
• Foodbank Australia: Australia's largest food relief organisation, sourcing and redistributing food to community programs including BANSIC (a partner). Comparable in food-distribution mission though operating as a wholesaler to frontline agencies rather than serving clients directly.
• St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria: Delivers emergency relief, food vouchers, and material assistance through parish-based conferences across Victoria, including in the Banyule region. Closely matches BANSIC's frontline emergency relief and food/financial aid offering to low-income households.
• Brotherhood of St Laurence: Melbourne-based community organisation providing food relief, financial counselling, and social support programs targeting disadvantage. Highly comparable in mission and service mix to BANSIC, though focused on broader research and policy alongside direct service.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/banyule-support-&-information-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Banyule Support & Information Centre