Foodbank grateful for generous disaster relief donations

Monday, 28 February, 2011

Foodbank had its resources put to the test in recent months in the face of the natural disasters in Queensland and Victoria. However, support from Foodbank’s food and grocery industry partners played a valuable role in the response effort, ensuring food and other household supplies are available wherever and whenever they are most needed.

Only days into the New Year a call for help was made to Foodbank’s industry donors in response to the devastating floods in Queensland. In line with lessons learned from previous disasters such as Cyclone Larry and the Black Saturday bushfires, the request was for specific items to be received in staged deliveries.

The response was immediate and overwhelming, with all the companies approached offering unreserved assistance.

John Webster, CEO of Foodbank Australia, comments, “We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the food and grocery companies. To date, the commitments have totalled 1500 pallet loads of product valued at over $5.5 million which, if delivered together, would require a convoy of 75 trucks,” he says.

Until the rising floodwaters threatened its own Brisbane warehouse, Foodbank Queensland disseminated food and other essential items to welfare agencies in the country areas of Queensland first affected by floods. These supplies were aimed at the second wave of assistance for flood victims returning to their devastated homes to help them begin the clean-up process.

With the arrival of the floods in Brisbane, the distribution focus turned closer to home where agencies, such as the Salvation Army, knew they could rely on Foodbank for supplies for the suburban emergency evacuation centres.

With the advent of floods in Victoria, some of the donated product was diverted to VicRelief Foodbank as it swung into action as part of the Victorian Government’s State Emergency Plan response team. Emergency relief packs of food, water and personal hygiene products (enough to support a person/household for up to five days) were packed and distributed to over 1500 families living in the worst of regional Victoria’s flood-affected and isolated communities. Over 24,000 kg worth of food and aid has been disseminated so far.

This was quickly followed by making donated products available to the communities in Far North Queensland affected by Cyclone Yasi with the first trucks delivering products as soon as the roads were open.

Due to the ripple effect of these disasters throughout the broader community, Foodbank knows from experience that there will be an increased call on its services for many months and even years to come. So, with the unwavering support of its industry donors and volunteers, it is preparing to assist community rebuilding, which is only beginning.

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