Fighting Hunger: Feed Geelong Appeal kicks off

BUSINESSES across the G21 region are fundraising to help fight hunger and food insecurity by taking part in Geelong-based Give Where You Live Foundation’s Feed Geelong Appeal.

Participating businesses have rallied behind the cause this week by printing donation stickers, donating proceeds through social media hashtagging and others have organised their own fun ways to help support the campaign against hunger.

The theme of this year’s World Food Day is ‘Leave NO ONE behind’ and aims to raise awareness that although the population has made progress towards building a better world, too many people have been left behind.

As part of the week-long appeal, which begun on Monday October 10 and extends until World Food Day on Sunday October 16, Bomboras Torquay has printed QR donation sticker codes on all of their take-away coffee cups, directing buyers to the appeal donation website with each coffee sale.

Bomboras co-owner Josh Friend said that as demand for food relief edges higher, it’s never been more important to support the cause.

“It’s a really great local incentive, and with coffee being such a huge market we think it’s a great little advertising campaign,” Mr Friend said.

“You can just scan your coffee cup and then the link allows you to donate to the Feed Geelong Appeal.

“When it is readily offered to be a part of, we jump at that every day of the week.”

“It’s a great cause, we have done some work through Pholklore with the Give Where You Live Foundation and it’s really great to get back on board and give in this way.”

Give Where You Live Foundation CEO Bill Mithen said funds raised during the Feed Geelong Appeal will help provide much needed support to food relief agencies across the region.

“A recent report from Social Ventures Australia revealed that 53,000 families and individuals in the Geelong region needed food assistance over 12 months. About 16,000 of those people will go without a meal at least one day per week,” Mr Mithen said.

“As the cost of groceries and living expenses rise, so too does the number of people in our community reaching out to food relief agencies for support with food assistance.

“This year’s Feed Geelong Appeal is more important than ever, with the increased cost of living and lingering impact of COVID-19 impacting food security across our region.”

Local organisations fundraising for the cause includes Goop Digital, The Gordon, The Mulberry Group, Viva Energy and local cafes The Bungalow in Drysdale, DAL Cafe and Catering in Geelong and Nine Grams in Mount Duneed.

In 2021 the Feed Geelong Appeal raised $31,000 to support the local food relief sector.

The Give Where You Live Foundation hope to eclipse that figure during the 2022 appeal.

Donate online at www.feedgeelong.com.au