Feed Melbourne - A new campaign to target hunger and the environment

The Feed Melbourne campaign, launched today, will seek support from Victorians to tackle two of our state’s largest issues – the environment and hunger.

An initiative of food charity FareShare and Leader Community Newspapers, the campaign will run throughout the month of June and aims to

•    raise funds for charities that distribute food to people in need;
•    raise awareness of the growing number of Victorians who suffer from hunger and malnutrition;
•    demonstrate the enormous amount of fresh and edible food that is wasted or disposed each year - food that could be donated to help those in need.

Every dollar raised will be go to charities that collect, store and distribute food to Victorians who are doing it tough. For charities like FareShare, every $1,000 raised helps cook and distribute another $2,000 free meals.
 

Hunger and malnutrition

Experts believe 370,000 Victorians will run out of food at some point this year and be unable to afford their next meal.

Young people, single parents, low income families, the elderly, refugees, migrants and the homeless are most at risk of food insecurity. Other research shows that one in 10 Victorians are malnourished, go hungry or feel anxious because they cannot either consistently afford or access healthy and safe food.

FareShare CEO Marcus Godinho has seen first hand the challenges facing Victorians and the charities supporting them: “As the cost of living continues to increase, and especially food prices, people find it more difficult to afford three meals a day, seven days a week.”

“There is enough food out there being donated to help Victorians who are doing it tough. We just need ways to help local food charities ,” said Mr Godinho.

Editor-in-chief at Leader Newspapers, John Trevorrow said that the best thing Feed Melbourne can do is to help local charities increase their capacity.

“Donations to Feed Melbourne give charities a long-term solution by increasing their capacity to receive more food, hand out more meals and help thousands of Australian families put food on the table,” said Mr Trevorrow.
 

Helping the environment

The Feed Melbourne campaign will also highlight the enormous amount of fresh and edible food disposed of by both businesses and homes across Victoria each year.

“More than 700,000 tonnes of food is thrown out in Victoria annually, the equivalent of 28,000 fully stocked supermarkets,” said Mr Godinho.

“The amount of food sent to landfill is many times more than what’s needed to feed those Victorians who struggle to put three meals a day on the table.”
 

How to donate

Donations to Feed Melbourne can be made online at FeedMelbourne.org.au, in person at any Woolworths supermarket in Victoria or on: (03) 9008 0685.

All of the money raised by Feed Melbourne will go to food charities to equip them with items such as vans, fridges and freezers to increase their ability to collect, store and distribute donated food. All suitable food charities in Melbourne and regional Victoria are invited to nominate for a $10,000 Feed Melbourne award via FeedMelbourne.org.au