Expansion of Community Support Services Bankstown food pantry a step closer

Community Support Services Village Pantry in Bankstown is a step closer to funding a refrigeration unit after receiving the news that they have won a $5,000 7-Eleven Secondbite FeedMORE grant.

Community Support Services CEO and Founder, Mona Mahamed, says the refrigeration unit will enable the expansion of their food relief program to support vulnerable families in the area.

“The 7-Eleven SecondBite FeedMORE Grant will allow us to help fund a new refrigeration unit. We are a social enterprise who takes a holistic approach to empower vulnerable marginalised families with the right tools to survive and thrive. Food security is a fundamental part of that work. Many of our clients come from other backgrounds and having support with food security, social cohesion, education for young people and connection for older people really helps them to thrive as part of our community, ” Ms Mahamed 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 contribute to a new refrigeration unit for the Community Support Services team in Bankstown so they can expand their food relief program to support more vulnerable families in need,” 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.