Government joins with manufacturers in support of Foodbank

Posted by Daniel Palmer on 29th September 2009

Federal Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin has announced a two-year, $2 million funding program to help Foodbank Australia address the growing problem of hunger in Australia.

Foodbank is Australia’s largest national food relief organisation which receives generous support from the nation’s food and grocery manufacturers to deliver valuable food and drink supplies to every state via charities, including St Vincent De Paul, to thousands of people doing it tough.

AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell congratulated the Government, saying the funding acknowledged the important work of Foodbank Australia along with the support of food manufacturers and retailers.

“Australia’s biggest manufacturing industry is the major supporter of Foodbank Australia by donating and producing food which is passed on to leading charities,” Ms Carnell said. “Foodbank Australia is where the majority of Australian charities source their food from and the organisations act as the warehouse of the charity sector.”

Ms Carnell said the food industry’s donations offered the joint benefits of reducing food waste in Australia and feeding thousands of hungry Australians.

Last year, 450 food industry companies donated 17.2 million kilograms of food. During the Victorian bushfires this year, more than 600 tonnes of food and grocery items – the equivalent of about 81 semi-trailer loads – was donated by Australia’s food manufacturing industry to victims.

“Food companies deliver food, free of charge, to Foodbank’s warehouses in each state, every week, which provides enough food for 60,000 meals a day,” Ms Carnell said

Ms Carnell said the funding boost would assist Foodbank Australia to achieve its goal to reach its target of 50 million kilograms of food each year, which would help to meet the ever-increasing demands of Australia’s hungry.

For more details about Foodbank Australia and how to donate food, please visit www.foodbank.com.au.