The Aussie Farmers Foundation will fund Foodbank’s ‘Meals for Mates’ program in rural Australia for the next two years through a cash grant.
Under the partnership, Meals for Mates, which is aimed at fighting hunger in rural and regional areas, is expected to provide more than a million meals for people in need over the next 12 months.
“As a foundation that exists to tackle the most pressing issues facing rural and regional Australia, we’re thrilled to work with Foodbank on a program that will put food on the table for thousands of Australians,” Aussie Farmers Foundation (AFF) Executive Officer Julia Hunter said.
The AFF was founded by Aussie Farmers Direct in 2010. The company will help with fundraising and product donations, while encouraging its suppliers and farmers to donate any excess produce to Foodbank.
“The issue of food insecurity in regional Australia often doesn’t receive the same attention as the problems in our metro areas,” Foodbank Australia CEO Geoff Starr said, “but the need is no less urgent.”
The ‘Meals for Mates’ program will contribute towards Foodbank’s Key Staples Program, with key items such as breakfast cereal, pasta and sausages provided for those affected by insecurity in regional and rural areas, as well as fresh-produce donations from farmers.
