NRMA Insurance Brisbane Broncos partners with Foodbank Queensland.

To say that Queenslanders are footy mad is an understatement! So you can only imagine our reaction when we were informed that we will be an official charity partner of the NRMA Insurance Brisbane Broncos during the 2019 season.

It’s an exciting opportunity for us as we can engage with a new audience and raise awareness about what we do here at Foodbank Queensland.

The partnership is not only a great opportunity for Foodbank but also a wonderful opportunity to thank our volunteers, without whom we could achieve all that we do.

We’re looking forward to seeing a sea of purple as the Broncos take on the Parramatta Eels on Friday, 30 August. It’s the last home game for the Broncos, so be sure to be out in force cheering on the Broncos as they support Foodbank.

Be sure to follow our social media channels to stay up to date with how you can support Foodbank and the Broncos!

Breaking records with Primo Foods!

It was a bright and early start as the team at Primo Foods in Wacol attempted to set a new world-record for the most bacon and egg rolls cooked.

The record attempt was to celebrate the unveiling of Australia’s largest single solar panel rooftop at Primo Foods Wacol factory. The solar panel roof powered the BBQs to cook over 2,000 eggs and rashers of bacon.

More than 50 Primo staff cooked a world record 2,091 bacon and egg rolls, something that had never been attempted before. Primo is Australia’s largest producer of bacon, so it made sense that Primo turned to Foodbank, the largest food relief organisation in Australia, to help ensure that the rolls did not go to waste once the record was broken.

Thanks to Primo Foods’ existing national donor partnership with Foodbank, we were able to collect and donate the rolls to two of our nearby charity partners immediately after they were cooked to ensure that the freshly cooked rolls did not go to waste.

We had a fantastic time being involved with breaking a world-record. Thanks Primo Foods for a great day!

Rodger Corser fighting hunger at Addison Road

Late last year, Foodbank’s national ambassador, Rodger Corser spent the day volunteering at Addison Road Community Centre to help distribute food to the Inner West community. Rodger was genuinely humbled to be fighting hunger with Foodbank and providing much needed food to Australian’s experiencing hardship, especially.

Addison Road Community Centre is a truly amazing pantry. The volunteers are dedicated to making a positive impact on those living within their community by providing affordable staple items and fresh produce. This allows local community members to pay bills on time and still access quality, nutritious food.

Addison Road is also invested in reducing food waste in the Inner West. Foodbank has partnered the pantry with local businesses like Bob & Pete’s, so quality food doesn’t go to waste. Bob & Pete’s regularly donates to Addison Road when there are surplus baked goods, to provide locals with the basic staples such as bread while reducing food waste at the same time.

Darebin Information and Volunteer Resource Service

For almost 30 years, Darebin Information and Volunteer Resource Service (DIVRS) has been providing a wide range of support to its diverse community in Melbourne’s north.

Through the organisation’s food relief program, community members on a low income are entitled to collect a free parcel of staple groceries and a parcel of fresh produce. Running four days a week, the program is currently assisting 200 households a week, with that number rising.

“We’ve got around seven to 10 new clients coming to us each week. That’s why we need to prepare for this increasing need, which will be significant over the next five to 10 years,” said Frances Trimboli, Executive Officer at DIVRS.

Complementing the products sourced through food charities, DIVRS has a trained horticulturist and team of volunteers who manage the Urban Food Program – a series of grassroots initiatives addressing the challenges of food insecurity in the Darebin community.

Current projects include The Backyard Basics: a thriving on-site garden with a greenhouse to cultivate seedlings and raised garden beds growing edibles; and The Darebin Fruit Squad: a team of volunteers who harvest excess fruit and produce from households in the neighbourhood.

DIVRS also works with local schools around the issues of food insecurity through its Urban Food Program.

We provide seedlings and the schools grow some food on our behalf.

Last year DIVRS raised funds to purchase a van which Frances believes is a “game changer” for the community.

“Now with the van, it provides a resource to Darebin and the northern suburbs because our volunteer group can go out on a weekly basis and do weekly pickups from Foodbank. We will be taking a lead role in doing some of the pickups for some of the smaller agencies that are part of the emergency relief network for Darebin,” said Frances.

Find out more about Darebin Information and Volunteer Resource Service at divrs.org.au

School Spotlight: Carwatha College

Carwatha College P-12 have recently hosted some special visitors at their Breakfast Club, in the hope attracting a few more faces in the mornings. Despite already running a buzzing Breakfast Club 5 days per week, Breakfast Club Coordinator Donna Azzopardi explained they still aim to attract more students.

“We wanted to get more kids coming to breakfast club, to see how much fun it is! We also love the idea of important members of the community coming along and chatting and eating with students,” she said.

In recent months the school has hosted local police officers, their local MP Julian Hill (Federal Member for Bruce), and even Santa found the time to drop by in his busiest month of the year.

“The students just loved when the police came for breakfast. They all asked questions and we had a few students walk away wanting to join the police force when they are older,” Donna said.

And when asked whether the guest appearances helped increase the profile of Breakfast Club within the school community?

“Yes!!!! We had a huge turnout, I think some students had a notion that Breakfast Club is for disadvantaged kids, but once they came along and saw how much fun it is and how it is for everyone it changed their perspective. Even for the kids that come from families that are suffering financial hardship and need Breakfast Club, now they see if they come along they won’t be ‘labelled’ or judged.”

When asked if encouraging special community guests to attend Breakfast Club was difficult, Donna said it was easy. All she had to do was email them an invitation and they were very happy to attend.

This is a wonderful example of how to grow the profile of your Breakfast Club within your school community. When asked if they are trying anything else to increase attendance at their Breakfast Club, Donna explained:

“Being a prep to 12, we try and have our year 12 captains come along to chat with the students. This year we will be starting ‘breakfast buddies’ which is where we ask secondary students to come along and be a ‘breakfast buddy’ for a primary student, to sit and have breakfast with.”

Great work Carwatha College!

“Without Foodbank we’d be lost. We certainly wouldn’t be eating fresh fruit and vegetables, it’s that simple.”

Australia’s largest charity kitchen coming to Brisbane in partnership with Foodbank.

Foodbank and FareShare are joining forces in Queensland to dramatically increase the number of free ready-to-eat meals available for Queenslanders in need.

Foodbank, Australia’s largest food relief organisation, and FareShare, Australia’s biggest charity kitchen, have just signed an agreement to reduce food waste and fight hunger with nutritious meals.

“Under this exciting new partnership, FareShare will establish a $4.5 million custom-built, production kitchen in Brisbane with the capacity to cook five million meals a year for people doing it tough,” said FareShare General Manager Kellie Watson.

Foodbank already distributes more than 44,000 kg of food a day to vulnerable Queenslanders supporting over 300 charities here in Queensland and over 220 school breakfast programs. Quality food is sourced from farmers, primary producers, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. By teaming up with FareShare, Foodbank can now also provide high quality cooked meals to those in need.

Foodbank Queensland CEO Michael Rose said, “the FareShare kitchen will provide an opportunity for Foodbank to rescue even more food, especially perishables and to reduce waste for donors, by converting surplus food into ready-made meals, rather than sending it to landfill.”

In its first year, the FareShare Queensland production kitchen aims to cook at least a million meals for Queenslanders in need from quality meat and vegetables donated by Foodbank’s generous food donors.

The collaboration plays to both partners’ strengths, tackling food insecurity and Australia’s $20 billion food waste problem head on. Foodbank will source ingredients and distribute meals through its existing network. FareShare will focus on what it does best – adding value to rescued food by cooking it into free, nutritious meals.

The FareShare kitchen will be established within 12 months, creating 5,000 wholesome meals a day including casseroles, curries and stir fries for distribution through Foodbank’s 300 agencies to help feed those in need. The meals are designed to be easily reheated with no need for full cooking facilities, making them ideal for highly vulnerable people.

FareShare kitchen construction well underway.

Foodbank CEO, Michael Rose, recently caught up with Kellie Watson GM for FareShare Queensland on site to discuss progress in relation to the Brisbane kitchen, a collaboration between Foodbank and FareShare.

“The site has been a hive of activity, hard hats and hi-vis as we affix air conditioning and plant equipment that we are re-using to the rafters, cut drainage into the slab and build columns to support our solar system. Electricians, plumbers and concreters are on site working alongside refrigeration technicians and structural engineers. It’s a tricky process and FareShare are glad to have Wiley and Co on board to drive and oversee the construction,” said Kellie.

All of the kitchen’s equipment has arrived in Australia. FareShare has ordered the specialist, high-volume equipment from Finland, Germany, Italy, England and Sydney which includes two customised 300 litre mixing kettles. These giant electric pots will enable FareShare to efficiently create nutritious, balanced meals from surplus food rescued from Foodbank’s generous food donors.

“The menu will change every day depending on available ingredients. In the morning we could be cooking chicken tikka curry with vegetables and in the afternoon cottage pie with sweet potato mash. A pump fill station will pump meals in portion sizes from the mixing kettles into vacuum bags for distribution to people in need,” said Kellie.

“We are working closely with Foodbank to develop supply and logistics plans and if initial discussions are anything to go by, we will need recipes that utilise sweet potatoes, tomatoes and chicken to start with!” said Kellie.

Michael Rose, Foodbank CEO said,“Foodbank is really excited to be working with FareShare in Queensland and look forward to getting the first of a planned one million meals cooked to distribute to those in need.”

For Foodbank, the kitchen provides the ability to deal with large and perishable food donations in a short time frame. All meals will be frozen making them cost-effective to transport, even to regional locations throughout the state, and simple for end users to store and consume.

This initiative requires additional funding to ensure a regular supply of food. If you would like to donate to help provide healthy and nutritious meals for vulnerable families, please donate here. For more information, or if you would like to support the ongoing efforts please contact our friendly staff.

Foodbank Queensland’s donors were celebrated in an evening to say thank you for their generosity inside the walls of the stunning Government House.

The beautiful heritage listed residence known as Government House, built in 1865 is the current home of our patron, Governor of Queensland, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC, and Mrs Kaye de Jersey.

The evening opened with a moving speech from the Governor, welcoming guests and acknowledging their contributions to helping Australians in need.

This is not the first time Foodbank has been welcome into the official residence of His Excellency and Mrs de Jersey. Back in June 2015, the Governor and Mrs de Jersey very kindly hosted another such event, providing morning tea to Foodbank supporters.

Amazingly the Governor is patron to over 150 charities and Mrs de Jersey is a patron of 6 herself, with strong interest in helping children eat well and stay in school.

It honours and humbles Foodbank to be in such esteemed company and to hear our supporters congratulated on their commitment to ending hunger.

Special mentions on the night went out to our newest Ambassador, television presenter, Natalie Gruzlewski and Foodbank Friend, Michael Powell, who is swimming the English Channel in August to raise funds for Foodbank’s School Breakfast Program.

Also making an appearance were our very generous supporters from the Clem Jones Group. Since Foodbank’s beginnings in Fortitude Valley of 1995, the operation has gone forward in leaps and bounds only with the help of supporters like the Clem Jones Group. Dr Clem Jones AO, longest serving Lord Mayor of Brisbane, was a founding director of Foodbank Queensland.

Foodbank owes much of its success to many more donors who cannot be thanked enough. Our funders especially, the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services.

Domestic and Family Violence prevention month.

The month of May is Queensland’s Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, coinciding with the United Nation’s International Day of Families on 15 May.

The month hopes to bring to light the issue of family violence, ensuring that every one of us says no to violent and abusive behaviour.

Unfortunately, Queensland has become known as a state of violence with a number of cases of intimate partner violence in recent years.

Fortunately, Queensland leaders have acknowledged the need to reduce violence. The Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland was established to uncover ways to prevent violence and bolster existing community services for improved victim support. You can read their findings here.

Women and children are not only affected by violence in the home: animals are included in those harmed and re-homed with community support.

According to the Domestic Violence Prevention Centre, research from VicHealth shows that, “intimate partner violence contributes to more death, disability and illness in women aged 15 to 44 than any other preventable risk factor.” This makes standing up to violence in the home, at work and in all public spaces all the more important.

A segment of ABC’s 7:30 Report aired on 21 March 2017 tells the empowering story of a domestic violence victim who started her own charity with the help of Foodbank. You can read more about her story here.

Foodbank wholeheartedly supports the many women’s violence refuges and home relocation services that access our warehouse each week – we are proud to be associated with the important work these refuges offer their clients. We hope that our support now will mean more people are helped today with a reduced need in the future.

To find out more about support services near you, please contact the Domestic Violence hotline on 1800 811 811 (QLD) or the 1800 RESPECT National help line on 1800 737 732. Available 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Fifteen brands will donate 1 million items in Australia’s biggest annual food donation campaign.

Australia’s top food brands – Ardmona, Devondale, John West, Chicken Tonight, Old El Paso, Vetta, McCain Foods Australia, Helga’s, SunRice, SPC, Primo, Mount Franklin, Continental, Sanitarium and Woolworths – have signed up to support the annual Foodbank campaign, with consumers triggering a one-for-one donation each time they purchase participating brand products at Woolworths stores during July.

Now in its third year, the campaign has been re-named ‘Shop & Share’ and includes an even larger range of products, covering most staple categories throughout the store, helping to raise vital food for people in need. Woolworths has signed on as the exclusive retail partner for the project which last year raised 13 million meals for Australians in need.

At some point each year two million Australians are in crisis, not knowing where their next meal is coming from. Foodbank is the largest food relief organisation in Australia, providing food for over 172,000 meals a day to assist these vulnerable people, a third of
whom are children.

Foodbank Australia’s CEO Brianna Casey, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the support from the brands participating in the campaign. They are already generous supporters of Foodbank and by taking part in ‘Shop & Share’ we are able to ask consumers to support the brands that support us”.

“The campaign provides us with an opportunity to remind Australians about the ongoing issue of hunger which affects so many families, individuals and children, at the same time we’re securing additional food to assist them,” she continued.

Woolworths is the retail partner of the campaign, supporting with “Shop & Share” messaging on shelf and online, in-store radio, Fresh magazine editorial and support through Woolworths Rewards eDM’s. Woolworths product will also be part of the program.

Advertising agency incumbent Havas Worldwide is supporting the campaign with above the line television, print, radio and OOH creative while, GroupM is playing a key role securing significant support in the form of television and radio air time as well as outdoor and print placements.

Whisk Media Group will once again manage the content creation for the project, creating new recipe inspirations and cooking videos using a collaboration of ingredients from the participating brands. The content is designed to encourage consumers to purchase more
of the products during their weekly shop. The agency will also supply bespoke materials for each of the brand partners to amplify the campaign across their own channels including on websites, direct subscriber communications and social media.