AUSTRALIA | Fonterra Oceania recently assisted Foodbank Victoria in its efforts to offer nutritious meals to people in need.
They packed more than 425 baskets with fresh food and essential pantry items, equivalent to 23,076 meals for families experiencing food insecurity.
Fonterra has been partnering with Foodbank for nearly twenty years. In the previous year alone, this collaboration delivered 325,000 meals to those in need and donated 250,000 litres of milk for Foodbank Australia’s National Milk Program.
Among the volunteers was Hannah Polglase, an Associate Talent Acquisition Partner at Fonterra Oceania. She mentioned how fulfilling it was to step away from her regular responsibilities and make a meaningful contribution.
“At present, many individuals are facing difficult circumstances. Australian households are grappling with food insecurity and escalating living expenses. Foodbank Victoria provides food for the equivalent of an MCG crowd every two days – unfortunately, this is 100,000 Victorians struggling,” said Polglase.
“We are extremely proud of the partnership between Fonterra and Foodbank. It's not just about the dairy products we donate, but also the time we dedicate to volunteering.”
Foodbank Victoria’s corporate volunteers team also expressed appreciation for the dedication and hard work of the Fonterra team.
Fonterra has focused its community support on areas where it can make the most significant impact, and providing nutritious meals to those in greatest need has been one of these areas. In addition to the partnership with Foodbank Australia, Fonterra has supported several breakfast programs and food relief agencies in its local communities.
In some of the most isolated schools in Tasmania, students enjoy a nutritious breakfast, allowing them to start the day with a full stomach, enhancing their concentration and eagerness to learn.
By regularly providing Fonterra's Duck River Butter, nineteen schools across northern Tasmania offer dairy products at their daily breakfast club, an initiative to ensure students have access to a great start to their day.
Each year, Fonterra also provides its employees in Oceania with a paid day off for volunteering, which they can use with any charity they choose. Teams across the organisation have used it more often than not to engage with the community and collaborate.
“I couldn’t think of a better way to spend this day than with the wonderful team at Foodbank Victoria, whose work is indispensable to so many Victorians.”
