A hunger to help others
Struggle to put food on the table hits the regions harder
BUNDABERG’S Trevor and Wendy Cross, Charleville’s Brian and Nerida Egan and Sydney’s Paula Zrilic are strangers united in a common goal – reducing a disturbing trend that’s eating into the lives of 3.6 million Australians every day.
A Foodbank survey out today shows 15% of Aussies are struggling to fill their cupboards with food and more than a quarter – 28% – come from regional areas like ours.
This year’s Hunger Report – released to coincide with World Food Day – reveals rising utility bills, increased rents and mortgage payments and reduced working hours are feeding “food insecurity” across the country.
Foodbank is the country’s largest food relief organisation, acting as a “pantry” to 2600 charities and community groups that deliver about 172,000 meals a day to vulnerable Aussies.
“It has a bigger impact on those in regional centres because they have more extreme feelings of depression and insecurity associated with that general food insecurity, in part due to the isolation,” Foodbank Queensland CEO Michael Rose told NewsRegional.
That’s where people like Wendy, Trevor, Brian, Nerida and Paula really shine.
The Cross family will this year donate thousands of tonnes of the produce they grow on their 800ha Bundaberg farm to Foodbank.
The Egans will deliver a lot of that produce to about 10,000 people living in the outback while Paula will ensure hundreds of south-west residents will get their fair share of donations from the Crosses.
Last year, the Cross family gifted 850 tonnes of produce – worth more than $1.2 million – to Foodbank and this year they have pledged to donate 1300 tonnes worth about $1.75 million.
Nerida and Brian Egan started Aussie Helpers about 16 years ago.
It provides groceries, pamper packs, stockfeed, boarding school fee donations and funeral funds for about 10,000 rural and remote residents.
“We get food from Foodbank and we pack that up into hampers for farmers and their families,” Brian said.
“It brings a smile to their faces straight away.”
Since opening Our Community Pantry 35 weeks ago, Paula Zrilic has put food into the cupboards of 750 Sydney-siders.
“My theory behind it is giving people a hand-up, not a hand-out,” Paula said.
To help Foodbank please visit www.foodbank.org.au.
❝in It has a bigger impact on those regional centres because they have more extreme feelings of depression and insecurity ...