ExxonMobil Australia team support Foodbank Victoria in their mission to fight food insecurity

The ExxonMobil team are working to support hunger relief across the state, via Foodbank Victoria’s volunteer and contribution program.

Since March, dozens of ExxonMobil employees across the Gippsland and Docklands operations have volunteered their time to pack fresh food and pantry staples to Victorians in need. Between them, over 60,000 meals for families have been packed and delivered to families across the state.

“The ‘cost of living’ crisis is really a new ‘pandemic’ for us. Sadly, food is the first thing people can compromise on with respect to balancing rent, power bills, petrol and other demands placed on stagnant wages,” said Danielle Johnson, Foodbank Victoria’s Corporate Partnerships Officer.

“Over the last month, our 450 charity partners have seen a dramatic increase in numbers of people calling upon them for help. Some have gone from seeing 15-20 families a day to over fifty. Others are struggling to keep up, with over 250 families a day needing food relief. Doubling demand is the most common anecdote. Thanks the support of partners like ExxonMobil, every two days Foodbank Victoria is feeding the equivalent of an MCG crowd, with 50% of those seeking food relief for the very first time,” Danielle continued. 

At the Yarraville warehouse, meals are packed and then distributed out via Foodbank Victoria’s delivery services, whilst at the Farms to Families pop-up market in Sale, pantry essentials are handed directly to the recipients.

The second Farms to Families market was held last month, and saw over 3,401 kilos of food distributed to families from Sale and the surrounding communities.

“We’re grateful to be able to provide some reprieve for those in need during these trying times. With the recent spike in cost of living, many hardworking Victorians who have never had to ask for help before are seeking food relief for the first time,” said Clinton Gentle, Longford Plants manager.

“Everyone deserves to be able to put nutritious food on the table, for themselves and for their families and I am grateful for the opportunity to assist Foodbank Victoria in their mission to fight food insecurity,” he continued.