Albury Wodonga Regional Foodshare receives $5,000 grant to support bushfire relief program

Albury Wodonga Regional Foodshare has additional support for their new Bushfire Relief Program after receiving the news that they have won a $5,000 7-Eleven Secondbite FeedMORE grant. 

Simon Welsh, Albury Wodonga Regional Foodshare Chair, says the funds will be dedicated to the new program focused on supporting people in the region affected by the 2019/2020 bushfire disaster. 

“Our region was hit hard by the bushfires, and with the pandemic also impacting demand on our services. This support will help fund our new Bushfire Relief Program. We provide support directly and through partner organisations and agencies located in or close to the areas of fire impact across North East Victoria and Southern NSW. The bushfire relief program ensures those impacted by fire and results of the fire are supported with food and other aid. Some people are really doing it hard with a lot of stress and anxiety because of the financial impacts of fires, they’ve lost homes, farms have been damaged, and all of that takes a toll.  Through our network which includes Corryong Fare Share, we’ve helped with food and other items that people needed to help them recover,” Mr Welsh said. 

“We have provided over 200,000 kilograms of food to those in bushfire areas. This food was donated by the over 65 organisations in our region and by the community directly. This equates to about 380,000 meals since the fires erupted in January 2020. This food has been distributed to over 6000 people impacted communities. As part of a wonderful regional community, we are there for each other, and give each other a hand in times of need,” he said. 

7-Eleven Australia Managing Director, Angus McKay said that the grants are funded through the donations of the 7-Eleven corporate team. 

“As part of the Good Cause program, our corporate team members can donate from their regular salary to support their selected Good Cause partner charities. 7-Eleven matches every dollar donated and these funds are allocated to the 7-Eleven Secondbite FeedMORE Grants. These grants give the organisations the financial support they need to expand or grow, which might not otherwise have been possible within their standard operating budgets. I’m very pleased this grant will support the new Albury Wodonga Foodshare Bushfire Relief program to help those impacted,” Mr McKay said. 

The grants are a part of a broader partnership between 7-Eleven and SecondBite. 

“We have been working with food rescue organisation SecondBite since 2018, supporting their work to end hunger by reducing waste through the 7-Eleven Good Cause program. We provide substantial funding to support their work and our corporate team members participate in both skilled and general volunteering. Our team have jumped at the chance to put their hands in their own pockets in addition to our corporate funding. Members of the corporate team also donate their time to work inside SecondBite’s warehouse sorting produce. Everyone in the team who has volunteered and donated has really enjoyed the chance to give back. As a business, we are incredibly proud to support the work that SecondBite and their partner organisations do in the community which has never been more necessary,” he said. 

SecondBite CEO, Jim Mullan said the grants allow the recipients to fund key infrastructure or new programs. 

“Assisting the expansion of our agencies with 7-Eleven’s generous workplace giving program elevates the efficiency of their food programs and, in turn, increases the number of people that can be supported who are experiencing food insecurity,” Mr Mullan said.