With the average monthly demand for food relief in Australia up 50% since 2019 and two in five seeking food relief not getting enough for their household needs (‘Foodbank Hunger Report 2021’), Woolworths is partnering with Foodbank and FareShare to launch its mid-year Hunger Relief Appeal.
The Appeal will run from 17 August until 13 September to support the significant funding needed to assist Foodbank and FareShare in providing a portion of the relief required.
Woolworths customers can support Foodbank or FareShare using the ‘round up’ fundraising tool at check out. Throughout the Appeal, Woolworths will also donate 50c from the sale of every Woolworths-branded single-serve Ready Meal to FareShare.
Proceeds from the fundraising tool will go to Foodbank in South Australia, Northern Territory, Western Australia, and New South Wales, and FareShare will be supported by stores in Queensland, Victoria, and Tasmania.
Woolworths Managing Director Natalie Davis says: “As a result of inflation and ongoing impacts of the pandemic, along with increased natural disasters in recent years, the Appeal aims to raise more than $2 million to provide food relief for charities across Australia.
“As today’s fresh food people, we are focused on caring for all Australians and small change can make a huge difference—it’s as easy as rounding up a purchase at the self-service checkout, or scanning a barcode after the weekly grocery shopping. We encourage our customers who are in a position to do so to support Foodbank and FareShare via the Hunger Relief Appeal at Woolworths this year.”
FareShare operates Australia’s largest charity kitchens in Melbourne and Brisbane, where chefs and volunteers work hand in hand to cook donated food into millions of complete, nutritious meals for those in need. Fareshare has been in partnership with Woolworths since 2008, collecting excess food from more than 100 stores.
FareShare CEO Paul Conroy says: “For over 20 years, FareShare has been using rescued, donated and homegrown ingredients to cook free, nutritious meals for those experiencing hardship. Every donation to the Hunger Appeal tells struggling people that somebody cares.
“When you support FareShare, you are not just feeding someone in need. You are giving them a delicious, ready-to-eat meal which takes the worry out of going hungry and the stress out of cooking. You are making them feel better.”
Foodbank is the largest food relief organisation in Australia, and supplies 70% of all food required by the welfare sector. The charity has been a Woolworths partner for 20 years, and currently assists more than one million people a month, with more than 40% of these people located in rural areas.
Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey says: “Across the country we are seeing heightened demand for food relief, especially in the regions, with many seeking help for the first time. Foodbank provides food relief to more than 1 million adults in Australia and it’s thanks to our generous partners such as Woolworths, we can ensure no one goes without.
“Woolworths not only provides Foodbank with key staple foods—the fresh fruit and vegetables that people need—but also helps us transport it to parts of Australia that really need it.
“People living in regional areas are 30% more likely to be food insecure than those living in the city*, so the assistance we get to transport food to the parts of Australia that need it the most is essential to us.
“The support of the Hunger Appeal at Woolworths will help families and communities of all ages and in all corners of the country who are going without the basic daily nourishment they need.”
Customers can donate directly via woolworths.com.au on the Community page.
