New Year, And Shepparton Foodshare Still Need Your Help

Shepparton Foodshare needs your help to source food staples including rice, pasta and UHT milk. These are important to build a nutritious and hearty meal around. Bec Nicoll, Shepparton Foodshare Coordinator, said these items are always difficult for us to source due to their long shelf life, therefore, supplies are often limited, however, at the moment we are completely out of these items”. Foodshare stressed that whilst we are always grateful for any support, at the moment they are in desperate need for these items, rice, pasta and UHT milk.

It is anticipated that due to the recent natural disasters and the ripple effect that this will have on health and wellbeing and added financial pressures, there will be a rise in food insecurity and demand for food relief. To help provide these much-needed items for the 100 agencies that collect food from Shepparton Foodshare to distribute to local people in need each week, Foodshare is asking for your assistance. Bec said, “we would be grateful if the community when doing their weekly grocery shop would consider popping an extra bag of rice or pasta or a carton of UHT milk in their trolly to donate to Foodshare.”

Alan Kellock, General Manager, said “Southern Cross Austereo is a proud supporter of Shepparton Foodshare. You can purchase a packet of pasta or a carton of UHT milk for just $1, what a difference we can all make if we just add $1 to our weekly grocery bill to support local people in need! Or, why not get a collection going at your workplace! You can drop these food items into the Southern Cross Austereo studios during business hours at 625 Wyndham Street Shepparton for the Foodshare volunteers to collect.”

Shepparton Foodshare is the only local service that rescues and receives donations of food to redistribute to those in ‘necessitous circumstances’ in the Goulburn Valley. Last year a record 317,000 kilograms of food was collected from Foodshare by emergency relief agencies, schools and churches and distributed via school breakfast programs, community meals programs, food hampers and to individuals.

Since established in 2012, Shepparton Foodshare has distributed more than 2.4 million kilos of food, or the equivalent of around 4.8 million meals 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 around 130 hours each week. Food is stored according to regulatory guidelines to extend the shelf life of the donated/rescued food to then provide nutritious meals and prevent edible food entering the waste stream. Foodshare relies heavily on the support of business and community donations and philanthropy to ensure the local service can continue.

Shepparton Foodshare Board Chair, Rod Schubert, said “we are so grateful for the regular support we receive from our community be it via helping us out when we need specific items such as these, financial support or to conduct a food drive on our behalf.”

For more information regarding Shepparton Foodshare please call 0432 517 329 or to donate please visit the website sheppartonfoodshare.org.au