How the Feed Appeal is helping communities across Australia
Charities have reported a 50 per cent jump in the number of people struggling to afford food since COVID-19 hit – and they warn things will get worse once JobKeeper payments end. Here’s how you can make a difference in your community.
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More than 400,000 Australians have had to ask for help for the first time this year to be able to feed their families.
In April alone, charities across the country saw a 50 per cent jump in calls from parents suddenly unable to put food on the table, along with students and singles who’d lost work and were struggling to stay afloat.
Helping Hands Mission took on almost 60 new clients in just two hours while Reservoir Neighbourhood House went from helping 500 people a month to fielding 200 calls a day.
Australian Council of Social Services acting chief executive Jacqueline Phillips said the COVID-19 crisis had resulted in many people facing severe economic hardship for the first time in their lives.
“Everyone deserves to be able to put food on the table,” she said.
Have you struggled due to COVID-19? Share your story by emailing rebecca.david@news.com.au
That’s why the annual Feed Victoria Appeal – part of the national Feed Appeal fundraiser – is so vital.
Just $2 can provide four free meals and feed a family in your community.
The Feed Victoria Appeal, proudly supported and co-founded by Leader Community News, is committed to helping food charities across the country, whether it is boosting their capacity to store and serve food or providing supplies of much-needed pantry essentials.
Feed Appeal chief executive Katherine Gokavi-Whaley said the increased need for food relief was a long-term problem.
“Food relief partners are telling us they expect the increased demand to remain high for the next 1-2 years,” she said.
“With the government forecasting high unemployment and the longer term impacts of the economic shutdown unknown, food relief is something many in the community will continue to need.”
Last year’s Feed Appeal raised more than $830,000, which was distributed as grants of up to $50,000 to 46 charities – from inner-city drop-in centres and suburban soup kitchens to food pantries in rural communities.
Donations from everyday Australians helped buy refrigerated vans to allow food banks to collect and deliver food, industrial-sized freezers to help them store rescued food more efficiently and pantry staples such as rice, pasta and bread to help them make well-rounded meals.
But this year’s droughts, bushfires and now coronavirus shutdowns have hit Australian charities hard. The 2020 Feed Appeal has already received more than 300 grant applications from grassroots organisations battling to support their communities as the realities of the COVID-19 begin to hit home.
This year, the Feed Appeal is also starting a Rural Schools Grants program, to support breakfast clubs and meals programs at rural and regional schools.
Feed Appeal partner FareShare received more than $280,000 of the total raised last year – enough to cook more than 370,000 free, nutritious meals from rescued food for people doing it tough – but the need is only growing.
FareShare chief executive Marcus Godinho said with so many Australians facing hardship due to COVID-19, the organisation was determined to meet the rise in demand.
“Right now we’re cooking more meals than at any point in our 20-year history and it’s critical we maintain this effort in the difficult months ahead,” he said.
“We have the food, the chefs and the volunteers. We just need the funding to bring it all together and make that critical difference to people when they need it most.”
News Corp Australia’s Community Ambassador Penny Fowler said: “Feed Appeal is all about supporting local communities and is focused on helping food relief charities feed and nourish people in need.
“With more people needing food relief than ever before, we’re proud to be supporting a campaign that will give a helping hand to those struggling across the nation. Now more than ever we hope everyone gets behind this campaign to help the Feed Appeal feed Australia.”
The Feed Victoria Appeal works in collaboration with Leader Community News and FareShare, and is powered by Newman’s Own Foundation.
You can help #FeedAFamily by donating to the Feed Victoria Appeal.
Every dollar donated goes to food charities nourishing communities across Australia.
Details: feedappeal.org.au
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