The Aussie Farmers Foundation has pledged to fund Foodbank’s ‘Meals for Mates’ program in Australian rural areas for the next two years.

The ‘Meals for Mates’ initiative helps to fight hunger in regional and rural Australia. It is expected the program will provide more than one million meals over the next 12 months.

The Aussie Farmers Foundation was established by home grocery delivery service, Aussie Farmers Direct, which will also support Meals for Mates directly through product donations and fundraising activities.

Foodbank Australia Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Starr, said Foodbank is excited to work with the Aussie Farmers Foundation as metro areas are often thought about over regional areas.

“The issue of food insecurity in regional Australia often doesn’t receive the same attention as the problems in our metro areas,” Starr said.

“But the need is no less urgent. In fact, those living in remote areas are at greater risk of food insecurity than their urban counterparts as, on average, food is up to 50 per cent more expensive in remote communities,” he stated.

Executive Officer of the Aussie Farmers Foundation, Julia Hunter, said as part of the Meals for Mates program, Aussie Farmers Direct will also encourage suppliers and farmers to donate any excess fresh produce to Foodbank.

“We already have a number of our generous farmers donating surplus produce to Foodbank, and we’d love to see more join in,” Hunter said.

Funds donated to Meals to Mates will be used to provide key staples such as breakfast cereals, milk, pasta and sausages.

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