Food appeal seeks help this Christmas

OzHarvest driver Olivia Penner-Dilworth with fresh fruit and veggies for people in need.

Woolworths kickststarted its OzHarvest Christmas Fundraising Appeal with a $500,000 and is now calling on the community to chip in to raise $3 million and provide six million meals Australia-wide.

According to the 2020 Foodbank’s Hunger Report reveal shocking facts about the level of food security facing Queenslanders this year.

Among its findings the report revealed that a third of people who are food insecure have never gone hungry before the pandemic and charities have reported a 47 per cent increase in demand for food relief.

Until December 24, customers at Woolworths Coolum, Noosa, Noosaville and Tewantin who spend over $30 will have the option to make a donation to the Appeal by rounding-up the cost of their shop to the nearest dollar. Customers can also choose to make a 50 cent donation, with each donation helping to provide one nutritious meal to a person in need or buy their Santa Cookies with 50 cents from each box going to OzHarvest.

“The ongoing financial and economic impacts of COVID-19 means more Australians are experiencing food insecurity than ever, with many going without a meal at Christmas time,“ OzHarvest state manager Anthony Dunne said.

“We’re asking Woolworths Coolum, Noosa, Noosaville and Tewantin customers to show their generosity by donating to this year’s OzHarvest Christmas Appeal to help keep our wheels turning and provide vital food relief this holiday season and beyond. This fantastic appeal will help provide six million meals to Aussies in need.”

With the pandemic, devastating bushfires and drought affecting so many Australians in 2020, new research by Woolworths found that more than 40 percent of Aussies believe it is more important to give back this year than in 2019.

Woolworths has partnered with OzHarvest since 2008 to help reduce food waste by providing surplus fresh food to them from their supermarkets.