Flinders Ports to Give Foodbank a Boost

South Australian ports operator Flinders Port Holdings (FPH) is doing its bit to end Australia’s growing hunger crisis by donating $30,000 to Foodbank SA & NT, along with supporting the food charity’s initiatives over the next 12 months.

The support from FPH will extend beyond just the donation, with staff volunteering at the recent Royal Adelaide Show, taking part in Christmas food hamper packing in late October, Food drive collection and supporting other initiatives over the coming months.

At the Foodbank Royal Show stand, FPH staff helped to distribute Yellow Brick Road goodies while other volunteers collected much needed change at the gates, resulting in the collection of $5,439.70 – which equated to 10,879 meals, along with raising $8,266 from Yellow Brick Road sales – equivalent to 16,532 meals.

The Foodbank stand also received 810 kilograms of fresh fruit and vegetables, including apples, lemons, mandarins and pumpkins from stallholders, equivalent to a further 1,620 meals.

FPH Chief Executive Stewart Lammin said FPH had chosen Foodbank because it operated across South Australia, including in regional communities where his team also worked, with either a permanent presence or a mobile food van.

“There’s no doubt that more and more South Australians are finding it harder to put food on their plate, with the cost-of-living crisis escalating across metropolitan and regional areas,” Mr Lammin said.

“Our team wanted to make a difference, and that included helping to prevent people going hungry by supporting Foodbank to put food on their plate every day.”

Foodbank SA & NT CEO Greg Pattinson said that in the last 12 months, more than 256,000 South Australian households had experienced food insecurity.

“That’s more than one in three South Australian households that have not known where their next meal is coming from,” Mr Pattinson said.

“The rising cost of living crisis is putting additional pressure on already struggling households and so now more than ever before, Foodbank is reliant on the support of the community and corporate partners to ensure no one goes without.

“Foodbank is so grateful for the commitment of Flinders Port Holdings, and with its support we’ll be able to put more than 60,000 meals on the table of those in need in our community over the next 12 months. They are helping us to feed South Aussies in need every day right across the state.”

As part of its commitment to Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG), FPH incorporated a series of goals into its 2022 Sustainability Plan, including committing to the United Nations Global Compact. One of those goals – Number 2 – aims to reach Zero Hunger by 2030.

FPH is encouraging all community members to support causes such as Foodbank, particularly as Christmas approaches.