Woolworths Umina and Woy Woy have launched a Community Food Drive to support local charities to deliver high priority food relief items to people in need before Christmas.
The week-long initiative started on Wednesday, November 3, and customers are encouraged to donate non-perishable food items into the specially marked Local Community Food Drive trolley in-store.
Donated items will be distributed either directly to a store’s local community food relief charity partner, or via one of Woolworths’ major food relief partners, such as OzHarvest, FareShare and Foodbank, and their network of local charities they support, to ensure Peninsula residents in need receive the donated essential food items.
Woolworths Umina and Woy Woy committed to donating a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables to the Local Community Food Drive and their local community’s food relief charity.
Woolworths Umina and Woy Woy Group Manager, Tim Burr, said the stores were committed to supporting local communities and help those less fortunate.
“Food insecurity continues to be a real issue in communities across Australia and the past year has made it even more difficult for a growing number of families to access nutritious food and essentials,” Burr said.
“I encourage Peninsula customers to join us and make a donation to the Woolworths Local Community Food Drive when they shop with us.
“By simply adding a non-perishable product in the specially marked trolley, you will be helping someone in need in our local community.”
Items that have been identified by local charities as the core range of essential food relief items needed by individuals and families include: breakfast cereals, UHT and evaporated milk, pasta, rice and instant noodles, coffee and tea bags, canned fish or meat, canned fruit and vegetables, soups and simmer sauces, spreads (peanut butter, honey, jam), baked beans and spaghetti and baby foods.
The campaign comes after the latest FoodBank Hunger Report was released which indicated one in six adults haven’t had enough to eat in the last year and 1.2 million children have gone hungry during the same period.
Additionally, one in three Australians struggling to meet their food needs are new to the experience, demonstrating the impact COVID-19 has had on communities.
Peninsula customers can donate in-store at Woolworths Umina and Woolworths Woy Woy to the Woolworths Local Community Food Drive from November 3 to 9.
Source:
Media release, Oct 26
Woolworths