Kim Reid – Page 8

Sweet Potatoes Australia: Committed to supporting Foodbank Queensland.

For Sweet Potato growers Greensill Farming Group and Halt for Holt’s, it’s all about working together!

Growing independently for over 10 years in the Bundaberg region, in 2016 the farms joined forces to create Sweet Potatoes Australia. While ensuring they deliver clients Aussie Gold Sweet Potatoes 52 weeks of the year, Sweet Potatoes Australia is also focused on working together to give back to the local communities they work in and beyond.

“The Foodbank story is such a great example of that true Aussie spirit and digging deep to help others. It’s tragic to think with the abundance of amazing fresh produce we have on offer in Australia, that every week many are going without”, said Damien Botha, General Manager – Greensill Farming Group.

Sweet Potatoes Australia has committed to supplying a minimum of 2 tonnes each week to Foodbank Queensland. Recently Sweet Potatoes Australia’s donations were able to assist Foodbank in supplying Reach Out Community and Family Care in Everton Park.

“Our promise is to contribute and support Foodbank each and every week of the year. For our team of over 200 local employees, knowing they are making life a little easier for families in need across Queensland is very important. Foodbank do an amazing job of not only distributing the donations of many great businesses, but also keeping us up to date with where donations are going,” said Damien.

According to Foodbank CEO Michael Rose “To receive this beautiful fresh produce directly from the farm with sweet potato being a highly nutritious food, with many wonderful health benefits for Queensland’s struggling families we are eternally grateful. We have heard countless stories of families relieved and grateful at the joy of receiving such wonderful food during their toughest challenges in life. For many, it helps them get through a short-term crisis and back on their feet. I applaud the generosity and community spirit shown by Sweet Potatoes Australia and our many other donors and encourage everyone to support them while they support us.”

If you can hear it. Help it this Winter.

Every day there are people in our community dealing with the anguish and despair of not knowing where the next meal will come from for themselves and their families.

Foodbank’s research reveals the sacrifices some parents are making to provide food for their kids. Many go without meals. Some go without food for a whole day, and still too many children continue to be food insecure in our communities.

A $25 donation can provide 150 meals to families suffering from food insecurity.

“I was embarrassed of my situation and too ashamed to ask for help, but I needed to do something for my family as I didn’t want to see my children go without.” Kim.

Apart from seeking money to support their family, parents may also protect their children from food insecurity by finding other ways to ensure their children have access to food.

Almost half of parents have cut down on the size of the family’s meals to make the food last longer. Additionally, parents may take their children to a family member’s house for a meal, seek food assistance from a charity or have their children go to friend’s house for a meal.

This is why we need your help.

Together with Foodbank, you can make a difference this Winter by giving a gift to feed hungry families like Kim’s.

A donation of $50 provides 300 meals.
A donation of $75 provides 450 meals.
A donation of $100 provides 600 meals.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart, as without your support I don’t know where we would be.” Kim, to all donors. Your support is vital in Foodbank’s efforts to improve the lives of families doing it tough this Winter. On behalf of those who benefit from your generosity thanks.

“I was embarrassed of my situation and too ashamed to ask for help, but I needed to do something for my family as I didn’t want to see my children go without.” Kim. Your support is vital in Foodbank’s efforts to improve the lives of families doing it tough this Winter.

On behalf of those who benefit from your generosity thank you.

Thousands of kids to enjoy breakfast thanks to $1m funding.

Following the government pledge of $1m to help expand our School Breakfast Program, Foodbank has been working hard to register the 62 schools targeted under the program.

This enabled us to take a proactive approach, contacting schools to let them know about our program and start providing breakfast as quickly as possible where needed.

We are delighted that we have been able to exceed that target and for the start of Term 3 we will have 70 new schools, 28 of these in regional Queensland.

Foodbank has predominantly serviced schools in South East Queensland. Working with local agencies we have stretched as far afield as Maryborough, Kingaroy and Toowoomba. This funding has allowed us to expand our reach north to Bundaberg, Gladstone, Burdekin and Townsville, as well as reaching a greater number of children in the south east.

Foodbank estimates that up to 24,000 children are fed via the program, equating to over 66,000 meals per week in 261 schools across the state. Our partners, Adventist Development and Relief Agency in Townsville, Global Care Community Food Outreach in Bundaberg, the YMCA in Brisbane and may other smaller agencies have been instrumental in making this expansion possible.

Nadia Boyd volunteer for ADRA Townsville had the following to say about the outcome of this collaborative endeavour. “As a parent myself it’s hard to believe there are kids out there going to school hungry.”

“These breakfasts are essential to the health and well-being of students and see that they not only enjoy their education but also provide them with the energy to thrive and succeed in the classroom.” ‘Without the support of Foodbank and local donors such as Tip Top we could not provide this vital service,” says Nadia.

Foodbank is actively seeking local business supporters for local schools. If you would like to sponsor a school in your area, please contact us.

Queensland Bulls trade cricket gloves for kitchen gloves.

This June we had the pleasure of coordinating with Queensland Cricket who generously offered the expertise of the Queensland Bulls attending various food relief activities in and around Brisbane, to connect with the community.

The team volunteered their time attending community meals, school breakfasts and helping out at the Foodbank warehouse and at several Foodbank charity partners. Activities included:

School Breakfasts at Cannon Hill SS, Berrinba East SS, and Kingston State College
Hamper setup and distribution at Annerley Church of Christ
Wesley Mission Community Meal
Foodbank warehouse volunteering
Community Friends street meal & hamper giveaway
Valley Hearts cooking meals for Ronald McDonald House

Each day was a new activity and experience for the boys who enjoyed the opportunity to meet recipients and see firsthand the impact their time and effort had in the community.

Queensland Bulls coach Wade Seccombe said the experience had ‘opened the eyes of the players’. “We knew that they would respond positively to the challenge we invited them to undertake, but we also hoped they would take something out of the whole experience for themselves,’’ he said.

“Getting such a professional and well-run organisation as Foodbank to set us on the right track meant the players actually exceeded our expectations, and I know the individuals enjoyed having their perspectives broadened and, more importantly, enjoyed helping out other people in their community.”

Foodbank greatly appreciates the efforts of its frontline charities who are on the ground helping men and women, children and the elderly. They are single and in families, students, employed, unemployed, and retired.

The suffering is largely hidden, but the reality is we’re all likely to know someone going without.Without the support of our dedicated volunteer network we would not be able to help vulnerable Queenslanders experiencing food insecurity.

Pop Up Foodbank: Picabeen Community Centre.

This Pop Up event will be the first of its kind for Foodbank Queensland who has partnered with Picabeen Community Association to distribute food to those in need this winter.

Foodbank will Pop Up at Picabeen for a free giveaway, open to all in need in the community to access healthy and nutritious food. We will be bringing along bins of fresh fruit & veg plus pre-packed hampers for distribution.

Our July Pop Up will be held at Picabeen Community and Neighbourhood centre located at 22 Hoben Street, Mitchelton on Monday 30th from 4pm. As an added bonus we will also have the help from some of the Broncos Young Guns players on the day.

Picabeen’s Youth and Community Worker Jane McDonald had the following to say about the importance of providing a food relief service to community members.

“Our staff and volunteers deliver quality support services, activities and opportunities with respect for the diversity of residents in local areas. Picabeen provides food parcels and Christmas hampers to the community with the help and support from Foodbank and locals. With this, we are able to assist hundreds of families in their time of need.” says Jane.

Foodbank is thrilled to have the opportunity to help our frontline charities distribute to those in the community experiencing food insecurity which is why we are seeking corporate support to fund more such events in the future.

These pop-ups represent fantastic corporate volunteering opportunities to help families struggling in our communities. If you would like to find out how your business can support one, please contact our friendly staff.

A year in review & what’s to come…

Another milestone met thanks to the hard work and dedication of Foodbank Queensland staff, volunteers and board members.

Without the joint effort in ensuring the stability of the day-to-day operation we could not have exceeded our expectations of 12m kg’s for the 2017/18 period.

To celebrate the landmark, the team stopped for a modest lunch as a thank you to staff and volunteers alike for the hard work and dedication throughout the year.

We are very grateful to our fantastic staff, our 53 regular volunteers, our corporate volunteers (20 per week) and our valued members of the board who so generously offer services outside of their own commitments.

Foodbank Queensland lifted volumes by a staggering 12% on the previous year. As fantastic as the result was in 2017/18, we can’t stop there. We still have so much more to do.

We know from our research that 35% more food is needed to feed Queenslanders in need. That is why we have set a target to achieve 16m kg’s by 2023.

The Foodbank Queensland board has signed off a 3-year strategic plan. The plan has four Strategic Pillars:

To proactively secure more food
To improve regional food relief in Queensland
To revitalise operational resources and capability
To sustainably fund the investment in food relief

Foodbank Queensland is already hard at work implementing the approved strategy. Discussions have begun on our need for a larger warehouse in Brisbane and we have also discussed several options to improve food relief in key regional centres and our overall fundraising efforts.

If you would like to get involved to help us achieve the above goals, please contact our friendly staff.

Queensland Cricket and Foodbank Queensland partnership.

Queensland Cricket has today announced an important and ground-breaking partnership between the Queensland Bulls and two of the State’s leading community benefactors.

The Bulls Masters and Foodbank Queensland will be the new major partners of the Bulls, with each to be recognized on training and playing apparel during the 2018-19 season.

The new arrangement was signed following the conclusion of the three-year major sponsorship of myFootDR in June.

The Foodbank logo will appear on the front of the Bulls playing shirt for the JLT One Day Cup that gets underway on 16 September when Queensland takes on Victoria at Riverway Stadium in Townsville.

The partnership was announced by Queensland Cricket Chief Executive Officer Max Walters at today’s season launch at Allan Border Field.

Walters said the strengthening of the relationships with both organisations reflected the deep ties that Queensland Cricket and the Bulls have with the community.

“Queensland Cricket has countless links to the wider community in Queensland, through the network of dedicated volunteers, participants and their families,’’ he said.

“There is much to admire about the players who represent their State and so to partner with Foodbank and the Bulls Masters means our current, and future Queensland players can make a tangible difference to lives of others in our community.”

“It is important for Queensland Cricket to replenish our relationship with our past Queensland representatives, and join forces to ensure mutual benefit for cricket and our fellow Queenslanders,” he said.

Walters said the Foodbank relationship would provide heightened awareness for their operation as well as a direct benefit from the performances of the Bulls and Konica Minolta Queensland Fire players during the JLT One Day Cup and Women’s National Cricket League.

“We’ve already seen the integration of Foodbank and their agencies in the Bulls and Queensland Under-19 team preparations, with players and coaches volunteering their time to assist their operations during the past two months,’’ he said.

“On the field, Queensland Cricket will donate $100 for every six hit by a Bull or a Fire player during the JLT One Day Cup and WNCL in 2018-19 while staff will have the opportunity to contribute to an annual Food Drive,’’ he said.

Walters congratulated both organisations for their innovative approach to the partnership.

Bulls Masters Chairman Ian Healy expressed their delight in the formal announcement of the arrangement.

“The Bulls Masters are very proud of the initiatives we have brought to regional areas, including the Country Challenge T20 series and the U-16 Country Challenge that forms part of Queensland Cricket’s youth pathway,’’ Healy said.

“Today’s announcement closes the circle in a sense for us, as it brings us closer to the current Queensland players and allows us to combine our efforts to make a difference to Queensland communities,’’ he said.

Bulls Masters Managing Director Jimmy Maher welcomed the opportunity for the past players to join forces with Queensland Cricket to achieve their collective goals.

“No-one has more passion for the current players than those who have had the privilege and the honour of wearing the maroon cap and representing this great State,’’ he said.

“Those players effectively represent all of Queensland whenever they walk onto the field, and we wish the Bulls and the Fire every success this year.”

“There is a legacy of success with Queensland Cricket that we are delighted to be able to contribute to and we look forward to that continuing through the generations,’’ he said.

Past Events – Picabeen Pop Up | Golf Day | Paint me a cake

Picabeen Pop-Up: Picabeen Community and Neighbourhood Centre hosted Foodbank Queensland’s very first Pop Up for which more than 90 hampers were distributed to recipients on the Northside of Brisbane. We were so very grateful to the neighbourhood centre for opening their courtyard to us enabling the community to access food in such an efficient way. On the day we had help from Brisbane Bronco Josh McGuire and Shaun Nona of the Broncos Younguns.

Annual Golf Day: Total money raised for this year’s event was $56,000 which included team registrations, raffle tickets sales, our live auction, and other on course competitions. This year we were joined by Foodbank Queensland ambassador Petero Civoniceva recently inducted into the NRL hall of fame making the rounds and discussing all things rugby and Foodbank.

Paint Me A Cake: An art exhibition & auction of works by Merton Chambers raised over $8300 with the net proceeds being donated to Foodbank Queensland. It was a great night spent celebrating Merton & his passion for cakes and charitable giving. We’d like to thank Merton for his kind words and generous donation not to mention all who attended making it the great evening that it was! Cookbooks are still available for sale, contact our office admin should you wish to purchase your own one of a kind cook book for $30.

Without the efforts of our benevolent donors and supporters we would not be able to make a difference in the lives of fellow Queenslanders. If you would like to hear more about future activities or raise funds on behalf of Foodbank we would love to hear from you.

A special delivery for drought affected Queenslanders.

With 57% of the landmass in Queensland drought declared, Foodbank Queensland is giving an immediate donation of 150 food and grocery hampers, which will help regional and rural families in need. The hampers were packed by Unilever staff, using Unilever products that were donated to Foodbank.

Foodbank Queensland CEO Michael Rose says the charity supports Queenslanders in need, including drought impacted families all year round, and demand is sure to increase over the next few months. The delivery is part of an ongoing commitment to helping regional Queenslanders.

“Queensland farmers are incredibly generous, donating more than five million kg’s of fresh produce last year. But we know every farming community is different. Most of the produce has come from regions closer to the coast. The drought affects many communities, especially those in Western Queensland, and we are listening to what the agencies on the ground are telling us. The drought has exacerbated the usual demand for food relief in some regions, and we are doing all we can to help local agencies meet the additional demand.” said Rose.

Aussie Helpers Co-Founder Brian Egan says the charity he started 17 years ago has been overwhelmed by families needing help. And he says he understands it is hard for people in metropolitan areas to understand the toll the drought is taking on regional communities.

“I get lost for words, but we all need to contribute to keep these farms going, otherwise they won’t be there anymore. And once the farms go, the towns go too”.

Everyone can help! With additional food supplies coming in from generous food producers and manufacturers, what is really needed are funds to transport the goods to the people in regional areas who need it the most.

Drought hamper pack day breaks records for those in need.

On the 21st of September, we hosted a drought hamper pack event at our premises here in Morningside.

With the help of two shifts of volunteers and lots of competitive spirit, the team managed to pack 3050 hampers in just six hours. Queensland added their 3,050 to totals produced by other Foodbank states to total over 10,000 hampers produced in one week.

Over the last eight weeks, the hampers have made their way out to drought-affected communities.

Once again a big thank you to our volunteers

Flight Centre Australia

A big thank you to our donors!

Goodman Fielder Food Service

SPC

Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing

Weet-Bix