Leave no one behind

Vulnerable students and migrants from Nepal living in Australia have felt the full social and economic impacts of COVID-19. With fewer resources to support themselves during the crisis, many Nepalese students experienced the anguished fear of not knowing where their next meal was coming from, until Foodbank became part of their world.

Amit Thapa, Founder of the Friends of Nepal Association, reached out to Foodbank, and along with the Non Resident Nepali Association, more than 1,000 Nepalese students in Australia were assisted with food relief, including hundreds of Foodbank hampers. Funds provided by the Federal Department of Social Services enabled Foodbank to fill the hampers with quality key staples such as instant noodles, breakfast cereal, UHT soy milk, fruit cups, tea and coffee, tinned tuna and beans, and savoury and sweet biscuits. Hampers were topped with five kilograms of rice, ensuring it would feed a person for four weeks. Packaged with love and dignity, the hampers were distributed throughout the Nepali student community across Australia, providing much-needed relief at a time when they needed it most.

PepsiCo pledges $480,000 to Foodbank Australia as part of a global initiative

April 2020, PepsiCo Australia has donated AUD$480,000 to Foodbank Australia to help combat the devastating effects of COVID-19. Globally, PepsiCo has recognised the need for meals and vital resources during this time and has pledged AUD$72 million to help those most affected by the virus.

On average, nearly one in five Australians face food insecurity each year. Due to the COVID-19 crisis Foodbank Australia has experienced a 50 per cent increase in the number of people needing support over the past month.

PepsiCo is proud to be donating AUD$480,000 to Foodbank Australia, one of the country’s largest food relief organisations, to ensure it has adequate food resources to meet the upsurge in demand, while continuing to provide nutritious meals for those who need it most. The funding will help individuals and families now and in the coming months as we see the effects of Coronavirus.

“We’ve seen a sudden and significant increase in the need for our services due to the impacts of COVID-19. We’ve gone from 815,000 people per month in a ‘normal’ period to over 1.2m, a frightening statistic,” says, Brianna Casey, CEO at Foodbank Australia.

“Foodbank needs to scale up urgently to respond to the unprecedented increase in the number of food insecure Australians and help them for as long as they may need it. We are incredibly grateful to our long-standing partner, PepsiCo, for the generous donation that will help us meet this growing demand and enable us to provide almost one million nutritious meals to individuals and families in-need across the country.”

“Food is at the heart of what PepsiCo does, and we are great admirers of the amazing work Foodbank Australia and the New Zealand Salvation Army Foodbank do within their local communities,” says, PepsiCo ANZ, CEO, Danny Celoni.

“We also acknowledge the unprecedented demand drought, bushfires and now COVID-19 have placed on Australian food relief organisations this year. I am proud and grateful to be in a position where we can support them during this difficult time by helping our partners bring food to those who need it most.”

McCain chips in and reminds us ‘we’re in this together’

April 2020, McCain Foods announced today it will donate at least 250,000 meals to food relief organisations across Australia and New Zealand over the coming months to help support communities facing food security challenges during the COVID-19 crisis.

The contribution is part of McCain’s ongoing commitment to food relief organisations, its passion for giving back to the communities that have built the business for over 50 years, and the company’s core values.  As unemployment rates across ANZ continue to increase to unprecedent highs, families are now reaching out for support – putting pressure on charities that deliver food to families in need.

The donation will be shared between charities across Australia and New Zealand including its long standing partner Foodbank Australia, but also Fareshare Victoria, Second Bite Australia, Empower Australia, 0800 Hungry and Oxford Community Trust.

McCain Foods Regional President, Louis Wolthers, said that the spike in retail demand for frozen food would be reflected in the charitable sector.

“People have been stocking up with frozen foods in preparation for lockdown, and food relief organisations are no different, in that they also need a stable supply of frozen vegetables and meals as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic escalate,” Mr.Wolthers said.

“Given the scale of the need, we’re very pleased to have the opportunity to support these reputable charities, which provide such important support to our local communities.

“Our donation includes frozen vegetables, meals, chips, pizza and some Sara Lee desserts – accounting for more than meals. This certainly makes sense for us, and it’s something our people are proud of. McCain is hoping this donation will help to remind Australians and New Zealanders of the importance of staying connected. We’re in this together, after all,” Mr. Wolthers said.

Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey said the donation will be well received amongst the many Australians it is supporting currently.

“We are so grateful for this incredibly generous donation of frozen food from McCain, one of our long- standing national donors who have supported us regularly through thick and thin. Foodbank has seen a 50 percent increase in demand for food and grocery relief due to job loss and small business closures across the country and donations such as these are critical to help vulnerable Australians now and for as long as it takes for our country to recover from the effects of COVID-19.”

The donations form part of a global response from McCain to the COVID-19 pandemic this year.

The Kids Shake partners with Foodbank

May 2020, The Kids Shake has partnered with Australia’s largest food relief organisation, Foodbank, to help feed kids in need.

From today, $1 from every Kids Breakfast Shake sold will be donated to Foodbank to ensure they can continue their important work in feeding Australia’s most vulnerable kids.

To launch the partnership with Foodbank, Belinda MacDougall, founder and CEO of The Happy Healthy Co (which includes flagship brands The Lady Shake and The Man Shake), is also making an upfront donation of $10,000, which equates to providing 20,000 meals to those in need at this difficult time.

As a self-made businesswoman and mother to two young daughters, Belinda is truly humbled to see this partnership come to life.

“This partnership is so important to me and The Kids Shake team because the thought of a child going without food, especially breakfast, is heart breaking. To help kick off our partnership, we have donated 20,000 meals to help Foodbank feed those doing it tough right now,” said Belinda.

According to Foodbank, children under the age of 15 who live in food insecure households often go without fresh food and may even go without some meals completely. More than 1 in 5 children in Australia (22%) experienced food insecurity in 2018*. Of these children, 18% have gone to school without any breakfast at least once a week and 9% of food insecure children go a whole day without eating at all at least once a week.

Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey, said, “As a mother of two boys, I know how important a good nutritious diet is. I know without breakfast before a school day, children can get ‘hangry’, they lack concentration, and they get agitated. We know from our Foodbank Rumbling Tummies report in 2018 that children’s wellbeing improves significantly when their family receives food relief, they are happier, have more energy and their behaviour improves.”

The Kids Shake was created by Belinda because the lack of healthy breakfast shake options for children. Any parent would empathise on how difficult it is to get a healthy nutritious breakfast into your kids every day.

“Our business is passionate about producing nutritious food to help children live their lives to the fullest. Our products are more than just meals, they include essential vitamins and minerals for growing, healthy, happy kids,” said Belinda.

The Kids Shake is a healthy breakfast alternative full of vitamins, nutrients and protein to help growing kids. Unlike many other products in the market The Kids Shake is low in sugar and has less than 3.2 g/ serving.

*Foodbank, Rumbling Tummies: Child Hunger in Australia, 2018

MetLife Foundation works with Foodbank Australia to provide over 186,000 meals 

May 2020 – MetLife Australia and the MetLife Foundation will be working with Australia’s largest provider of hunger relief, Foodbank Australia, to provide over 186,000 meals (or the equivalent of over 100,000kg of food) for Australians, starting from July 2020 through to summer 2021. Pre-COVID-19, Foodbank Australia worked with over 2,400 charities in every state and territory to help them provide food to over 815,000 people a month. Since the pandemic hit, Foodbank has seen increased demand and estimate they are now providing food to over 1 million people a month.

In addition to the potential impact on people’s health, the COVID-19 pandemic has put enormous financial pressures on people across Australia, with government data showing a major impact on employment rates and wages, with an increasing number of people not able to properly support themselves.[1] Many charities in Australia are also seeing donations of all kinds reducing as a result of COVID-19, causing problems for their ability to continue to provide much needed services.[2]

Foodbank Australia knows that significant finanical donations can have a major impact on the Australian community they serve and estimate that the MetLife donation equates to $2.3million social return on investment. Social return on investment takes into account not only the immediate nutritional benefits of providing food, but also the contribution to improvements in health, emotional wellbeing, sense of self-worth, social relationships and ultimately overall standard of living.

Commenting on the donation, MetLife Australia’s CEO Richard Nunn said: “We know that many Australians are struggling during this pandemic and we’re supporting Foodbank Australia because  they are directly helping thousands of Australians in need. We know Australia will get through this current crisis, but it won’t be easy and some people are facing enormous challenges including getting access to something as basic as a nutrious meal. We also know that the pandemic will have a long term impact on people’s health and wellbeing, and we want to have a deep an enduring impact on our community. We hope this contribution to Foodbank Australia will help thousands of Australians get the nutrition and energy they need and make it through this current situation.”

Brianna Casey, Foodbank Australia CEO said: “Demand for food relief has increased significantly due to job loss and small businesses closures as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. Foodbank has had to scale up in order to help many vulnerable Australians, some of whom have had to ask for assistance for the first time. We are truly grateful to MetLife for its generous support which will enable us to support those doing it tough now, and for the long haul. Thank you MetLife.”

[1] https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs%40.nsf/mediareleasesbyCatalogue/C9E9F14708FC0AE7CA25855E0018F325?OpenDocument

[2] https://www.communitycouncil.com.au/content/open-letter-australian-governments-19-march-2020

Zurich Australia and OnePath Life support Foodbank with COVID-19 response funding

20 May 2020: Zurich Australia (Zurich) in cooperation with Zurich Insurance Group’s charitable foundation, the Z Zurich Foundation (ZZF) in Switzerland, has announced an immediate wave of community impact funding to support Australian and New Zealand charities in the wake of COVID-19.

The emergency financial support equates to an additional $1.43 million, which is being allocated to 20 different charities – some national, some with local, grassroots focus.

The funding is on top of the ~$2.28 million, which Zurich annually donates to its “hero” community programs, plus an additional ~$1 million donated by ZZF to various charities in the wake of the Australian bushfires earlier this year.

One of the largest recipients of the local allocation is Foodbank Australia who will receive $1 million.  The money will help Foodbank Australia source and distribute additional essential food and grocery items to around 2,400 charities around Australia, who are experiencing a spike in demand given the economic downturn associated with COVID-19.

Brianna Casey, CEO, Foodbank Australia, said: “Foodbank has seen an unprecedented 48% increase in demand for food relief across our charity agencies. We are seeing new demographic groups who have never had to ask for food assistance before and we know this problem will not be fixed overnight.

“In the past month, we have sourced more key staple foods than in the three years prior to COVID-19. Through our established relationships with the food and grocery industry, we can turn $1 into $6 worth of food, so donations such as these allows us to effectively and efficiently purchase food to support the many people in our communities affected by COVID-19. We are so grateful to Z Zurich Foundation for this incredibly generous donation which will allow Foodbank to continue to scale up and respond to this new ‘normal’ for as long as needed,” she said.

Linda Griffin, Head of Corporate Affairs and Community, said, “The intention of the funding is to help these charities navigate through the short to medium term issues arising from this crisis. Due to it, many charities are facing increased demand for their services, yet are challenged by a reduction in donations plus an inability to rely upon their volunteers in the same way, due to lockdown efforts.”

Leggo’s Pasta Sauce ease COVID-19 pains for Foodbank

Simplot Australia, makers of Leggo’s pasta sauce, are helping to address food insecurity through a longstanding collaborative partnership which will see them provide 85,500 jars of Napoletana pasta sauce to Foodbank Australia.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Foodbank has seen a 50 percent increase in demand for support from Australians, yet have also faced a significant decrease in supply of essential food items.

Simplot Australia Managing Director, Graham Dugdale, says like so many suppliers we have been running at capacity to respond to the panic buying and stockpiling behaviour we have experienced in the community.

“Our company purpose ‘to contribute to feeding our world’ has never been as important as it is right now. We are proud to partner with Foodbank as our values and work are so strongly aligned.”

“Foodbank are doing extraordinary work, particularly in these challenging times to provide nourishing food to the most vulnerable in our communities.”

The company’s collaborative supply project with Foodbank has been in place for eight years and has seen more than one million jars of Leggo’s pasta sauce provided to Foodbank.

Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey, says Leggo’s pasta sauce is one of our most requested products and knowing that it has been running off supermarket shelves in recent weeks makes these 85,500 jars seem that much more precious.

“It highlights the generosity of Simplot who have not only supported us day to day, but through drought, floods, bushfires and now COVID-19, we are thankful for their ongoing support.”

Foodbank helps vulnerable Australians access food and groceries, no matter what the crisis. Pre-COVID-19, the not-for-profit organisation was already providing food relief to more than 815,000 people a month, and that number is now growing by the day.

Help provide 1 million meals to Aussies in need by grabbing your favourite Nando’s meal.

20 May 2020, From this week, every time Aussies tuck into their favourite Nando’s meal over the value of $15, they will be automatically helping feed one of the many vulnerable Australians Foodbank support.

Nando’s has set the ambitious goal of donating the cost of 1 million meals to Foodbank by the end of winter, which translates to a whopping $500,000 contribution to Foodbank’s national food relief effort. The initiative is available nationally through takeaway, delivery and dine in (where available).

This new community-focused initiative follows Nando’s recent effort to support frontline workers, offering a 50 per cent discount to healthcare and emergency services workers across Australia.

Nando’s Community Partnerships and Marketing Director, Helen Reece said: “Providing more than 657,000 meals at half price to essential workers across Australia over the last six weeks has been incredibly rewarding. Nando’s is a purpose led business so being a good neighbour in our communities is really important to us. As the economic realities of COVID-19 start to sink in, we’re proud to be launching an initiative that our customers can really feel part of and will support the vulnerable Australians who are really feeling it.

“We’ve kickstarted the initiative by donating more than 18,500 meals, which is directly linked to the number of PERi-PERi sauce bottles we’ve sold in our restaurants through pick-up and delivery during the COVID-19 lockdown,” Reece said.

Foodbank provides food relief to over 815,000 people each month and this number is growing rapidly due to the impact of COVID-19.

Foodbank CEO Brianna Casey said: “One in five Australians have experienced food insecurity at some point in the last 12 months and this number is unfortunately likely to rise in the current climate. The support from brands such as Nando’s is vital in ensuring we can continue keeping up with the increased demand the pandemic has caused for vulnerable people requiring vital food relief.

“What we love about this initiative is that you don’t have to do anything different to donate – Aussies can just keep enjoying their favourite Nando’s lunch, dinner or snack while also helping vulnerable Australians.

“Nando’s has been a great partner of ours this year, already donating more than $60,000 for our bushfire relief efforts and we’re excited to continue working with them,” Brianna concluded.