‘On Air’ Food Drive To Source Much Needed Food Staples For Shepparton Foodshare

To ensure a supply of much-needed food staples such as UHT milk, rice and pasta, along with personal hygiene products, Shepparton Foodshare has commenced food drives to source these items for people in need and is asking the community for assistance.

When Southern Cross Austero heard about Foodshare’s plight, they were quick to respond offering to conduct a food drive on Shepparton Foodshare’s behalf. Alan Kellock, General Manager of Southern Cross Austereo Goulburn Valley said, “we’re pleased that we can use the power of radio to assist this critical local service”.

Announcers, Josiah and Elly, are getting behind Shepparton Foodshare this Thursday, August 29, hosting a special Live Broadcast Food Drive on the front lawn of Hit 96.9on Wyndham Street Shepparton. During the stations first-ever ‘live food drive’, they will be encouraging the community to call past on their way to work and drop in one of the staples that Foodshare is most in need of.

From 6am you can swing by the Southern Cross Austereo studios at 625 Wyndham St Shepparton and drop off your donation of UHT milk, pasta, rice, jars of pasta sauce, breakfast spreads and personal hygiene products. Josiah said, “If you are thinking about doing your shopping make sure you buy a little extra that you can bring down or, if you have stuff in your cupboard that you won’t use bring it down.”

Shepparton Foodshare Board Chair, Rod Schubert, said “we are so grateful for the regular support we receive from our local producers and manufacturers such as SPC, Campbells, Unilever and Josh’s Rainbow Eggs, to name a few, we simply can’t operate without their support, however there are some staples that are really difficult for us to obtain so food drives help to meet the demand for these products.”

Shepparton Foodshare rescues and receives donations of food to redistribute to those in ‘necessitous circumstances’ in the Goulburn Valley. On average 300,000 kilograms of food is collected from Foodshare by emergency relief agencies, schools and churches annually and distributed via school breakfast programs, community meals programs, food hampers and to individuals.

Since established in 2012, Shepparton Foodshare has distributed more than 2 million kilos of food to people in need. To deliver this service, Foodshare partners with supermarkets, business and other food rescue agencies and is supported by more than 20 volunteers who combined donate more than 100 hours each week. Food is stored according to regulation guidelines to extend the shelf life of the donated/rescued food to then provide nutritious meals and prevent edible food entering the waste stream. With no recurrent funding, Foodshare relies heavily on the support of business and community donations and philanthropy to ensure the local service can continue.

Food insecurity is on the rise and according to resent research conducted by Foodbank, Australians living in regional areas, such as Shepparton, are 33% more likely than those living in cities, to have experienced food insecurity in the last 12 months. These figures are supported anecdotally by local agencies collecting Foodshare food, with one reporting an increase of more than double the people accessing services in the first half of 2018.

Shepparton Foodshare Chair, Rod Schubert, said, “with no other service offering this support locally, Foodshare is very grateful for this community support that enables our service to continue and to help cater for increasing demand”. So please put a carton of UHT milk in your car and drop it in the food collection box this Thursday morning!

For more information please visit our Facebook event.

Alternatively, you can contact Rod Schubert Chair Shepparton Foodshare on 0419 924 610, or Kate Smith Marketing and Fundraising 0418 382 985.