Joining forces in 2007, this year marks a 10 year milestone for Foodbank’s valued partnership with Fonterra.
To celebrate the decade long friendship, hunger relief organisation Foodbank and dairy company Fonterra, have resigned their partnership, setting Fonterra as the exclusive supplier of fresh milk for Foodbank’s Milk Program in Victoria. The milk program distributes donated fresh milk to struggling Australian families and individuals via the help of Foodbank’s network of agencies and charities.
Fonterra currently donates 100,000 litres Anchor milk and other dairy foods to Foodbank Victoria. In 2016, Fonterra contributed the equivalent of nearly 350,000 meals with a social return value of $4.4 million.
Despite Fonterra’s regular weekly donation, the high demand of fresh milk products needed by Foodbank supported agencies and charities outweigh the current supply they receive.
This financial year, Foodbank, with the help of Fonterra, are seeking additional financial support from new sponsors to fill the gap for families and individuals in need across Victoria.
Michael Davidson, Foodbank’s General Manager – National Food, says that this support “will help close the gap between the demand and supply, and therefore the amount of people that we can get this liquid gold to”.
“Every month, 140,000 people in Victoria receive hunger relief from Foodbank supported agencies, but 6,000 of these struggling Aussies are turned away from charities due to a shortage of food and resources. Every bit of support we can get will help reduce the number of families and individuals unable to gain access to food relief.”
Fonterra Australia’s Managing Director René Dedoncker says “Our relationship with Foodbank as a good example of how food businesses can make a real, tangible difference to the communities in which they operate.
“Milk is one of the key staples much sought after by welfare agencies, and our partnership with Foodbank will help bring the goodness of dairy to vulnerable people. We look forward to continuing this partnership into the future,” concludes René.
If you would like to know more about being a financial sponsor, or Foodbank’s Milk Program, please contact Foodbank’s General Manager – National Food, Michael Davidson, via michael@foodbank.org.au.