Northern Territorians reliant on others for a square meal will benefit from a full semi-trailer load of food from Foodbank South Australia which arrived from SA this morning.

Foodbank South Australia, part of the largest hunger relief organisation in Australia, collected and transported the food, including breakfast cereal, long life milk, pasta, pasta sauce and canned fruit and vegetables, to help its sister organisation, Foodbank Northern Territory, put food on the shelves of its new warehouse.

The food, which has been donated by Foodbank’s national donors, including some of Australia’s most recognised food companies, will go to welfare agencies in the Northern Territory for distribution to those in the community who would otherwise go hungry.

“We are overwhelmed by the support of the donor companies and for the timely, smooth delivery from Foodbank SA in readiness for the opening of our new warehouse,” said Peter Fisher, General Manager, Foodbank NT.

Foodbank SA, which has been established for ten years, said it is pleased to support Foodbank NT, the newest member of the national Foodbank family. In its 10 years of operation, Foodbank SA has sourced and distributed 7.5 million kilograms of groceries to marginalised South Australians.

“We are delighted to assist our colleagues in the Northern Territory, not only by coordinating this delivery of essential food but also with advice based on our years of experience running a Foodbank warehouse,” said Leigh Royans, General Manager of Foodbank SA.

“Foodbank SA has developed several food programs in partnership with food businesses and other organisations, providing welfare organisations with ongoing supplies of the staple foods and groceries most in demand such as bread, breakfast cereal, long-life milk, baked beans, soups and canned foods,” Royans said.

Foodbank’s national CEO, John Webster, said this shipment to the Northern Territory was the first in an ongoing program that reflected the need for hunger relief in all areas across the country.

“Thanks to the growing support from both national and state-based donors, Foodbank is delivering more food than ever before. In 2009/10, 19 million kilograms of food was donated to create 25 million meals, however, this still did not come close to meeting demand,” Mr Webster said.

Collectively, Foodbank provides sufficient food to feed more than 70,000 people every day by acting as a conduit between major food and grocery manufacturers and retailers and 2,200 welfare agencies across the country.

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