Every donation counts for the hungry Every single piece of fruit and vegetables that gets saved from going to waste makes a difference to families in need. That’s the message from Foodbank Queensland (FBQ), the state’s largest hunger relief charity, who works closely with Brisbane Markets wholesalers to divert fresh produce from the bin to the mouths of those who are hungry. According to FBQ’s Food Supply Manager, Bob McMillan, every year the organisation rescues millions of kilograms of food that would have otherwise gone to waste and provides the equivalent of 25 million meals to children and adults experiencing hunger across the state.
Fruitful partnership: Foodbank Queensland’s Zoe Templeton catches up with So Crisp’s Mark Van De Meeden.
“Foodbank Queensland is proud to work with Brisbane Markets to rescue food, reduce waste, and fight hunger,” Mr McMillan said. “Working together, more than 150,000 kilograms of fresh food is collected by Foodbank at Brisbane Markets each year and distributed to Queenslanders in need. That’s the equivalent of more than 270,000 meals to help hungry Queenslanders put food on the table.” While individual wholesalers may feel that their donations to FBQ are small compared to their overall throughput each week, these small amounts of produce can make a big difference. “Sadly, one in five people in our community is in crisis at some point each year, dealing with the anguish and despair of not knowing where the next meal will come from. Every food donation, big or small, makes a very real difference to people suffering from hunger,” Mr McMillan said. “Donating surplus or imperfect food enables Brisbane Markets wholesalers to directly benefit people who are living in disadvantaged circumstances, whilst having a positive impact on the environment.” Mr McMillan encouraged Brisbane Markets wholesalers to remember FBQ when disposing of unwanted product and thanked Brisbane Markets Limited (BML) for its support in providing ongoing access to the market to collect produce right from wholesalers’ warehouses.
Food for thought: BML Communications Manager Luke Leeson and Foodbank’s Zoe Templeton exploring the Brisbane Produce Market.
“Having this partnership with BML gives us the confidence that we will have ongoing access to this very essential produce and that it will always be available to us to feed those in need,” he said. FBQ is a Brisbane Markets access-approved service provider, so the process for donating fresh produce is easy and straightforward. Simply call Bob McMillan on 0427 157 665 or visit bit.ly/2ULQw1z to arrange for FBQ to collect your donation from the location of your choice.
Winter 2021 FRESH SOURCE 17
