Matt Preston kicks off the Coles SecondBite Winter Appeal.
Coles as we speak launched its annual nationwide winter attraction with Australia’s largest free meals rescue organisation SecondBite, to assist greater than 1,100 neighborhood organisations throughout the nation feed Aussies in want.
From as we speak till Tuesday, 25 July, Coles customers may help help the SecondBite Winter Attraction by buying a $2 donation card on the grocery store checkout or by making a donation of their selection in retailer or through Coles On-line. Donations can even be accepted at Liquorland, Classic Cellars or First Selection Liquor Market shops till Tuesday, 1 August.
All funds raised will allow SecondBite to rescue unsold, edible meals from growers, producers and retailers and redistribute it freed from cost to charity companions throughout Australia like Christ Church Group Centre in St Kilda.
SecondBite ambassador, meals author and TV character Matt Preston helped launch the attraction by helping volunteers at Christ Church Group Centre inventory their neighborhood meals pantry with rescued meals from Coles.
“I’ve been a SecondBite ambassador for over 10 years now however it’s all the time humbling to spend the day rescuing and delivering meals to folks in want,” he mentioned.
“Meals is about greater than satisfying starvation. It’s about social connections for not simply shoppers however volunteers as nicely and plenty of of SecondBite’s charity companions additionally present housing, emotional and monetary help.”
“I hope customers can help the Coles SecondBite Winter Attraction if they’re ready to assist, as a result of each greenback raised is 5 meals supplied to folks in want.”
Christ Church Group Centre supervisor Elizabeth Rooney mentioned demand for meals reduction has elevated over the previous 5 years.
“Our company depends on the meals delivered by SecondBite each week to assist fill our neighborhood pantry,” she mentioned.
“The meals we obtain from SecondBite helps Aussies from all walks of life – younger, previous, single folks, households and from all cultural backgrounds. With out this service, lots of our shoppers wouldn’t be capable of persistently put meals on the desk.”
Coles Group Common Supervisor, Company and Indigenous Affairs Sally Fielke mentioned the partnership with SecondBite is testomony to Coles’ dedication to help communities throughout Australia.
“Since 2011, Coles has donated the equal of greater than 200 million meals to assist Australians in want, together with fruit, greens, bread and meat from our supermarkets and distribution centres,” she mentioned.
“We additionally awarded SecondBite a $500,000 Coles Nurture Fund grant final month to buy vital tools for its 5 warehouses throughout Australia, which can assist present as much as six million extra meals for Aussies in want yearly.”
“All funds raised on this 12 months’s Winter Attraction at Coles shall be handed onto SecondBite in order that they’ll proceed to offer meals for cooked meals, meals hampers and neighborhood pantries.”
Coles additionally donated a further 4 pallets of meals and grocery to Addison Street Group Centre in Marrickville, NSW, the place Coles group members helped packed 250 meals hampers for native residents alongside Coles ambassador Courtney Roulston and Addi Street volunteers as a part of the nationwide SecondBite Winter Attraction launch.
Previously 12 months, Coles has donated greater than 17.7 million kilograms of unsold, edible meals diverted from landfill, equal to 35 million meals. Along with the 200 million meals donated since 2011, an extra two million kilograms of meals – sufficient for 4 million meals – has been donated to SecondBite from Coles distribution centres, together with bulk donations to satisfy elevated demand in the course of the COVID pandemic.
Buyers can even help SecondBite this winter by buying chosen Coles Kitchen 300g soup or Coles Kitchen Diced Veggie Medley 450g, with 10 cents of each specifically marked product offered going to SecondBite till Sunday, 3 September.
