Foodbank SA Bush Fire Appeal – An update from our CEO…

Dear Supporter,

At Foodbank SA we are deeply humbled by the community support in the wake of the bushfires that ravaged our country. I can assure you we have been working tirelessly to sort, process and distribute emergency food relief for bush fire impacted regions particularly the Adelaide Hills region and Kangaroo Island.

At the same time, we are actively working with our front line agencies to ascertain their immediate needs and to make sure that these agencies can store the emergency provisions properly and hand it over to those affected, as they need it and when they need it.

The ripple effect of the bushfires affecting our state tells us that we are just at the beginning of a time of greater need for Foodbank services in many months to come. So many lost their houses and their livelihood, and as South Australia’s larger food relief organisation we know we are in it for the long haul. Our role is to be there for these communities and provide food relief long after the fires are out. With the 2015 Pinery bushfires, we provided extra food relief for a further 24 months, and we will do the same  to the Adelaide Hills and Kangaroo Island, until we are no longer needed.

It is our duty to inform you, as a Foodbank supporter or volunteer, where, when and how the food or funds donated have been distributed and how we are harnessing the extra support we received to help those in need.

Our role in the bush fire emergency

Foodbank SA has been appointed by the state’s  Emergency Management – Emergency Relief Functional Support Group as part of the State Emergency Management Plan to assist in the management of donated food, coordination and distribution. We are involved in managing food donations, providing food to a number of Emergency Relief Centres, and distributing to individuals affected by the bush fires.

What we’ve done so far in the Adelaide Hills – Lobethal

We are providing food relief to the Adelaide Hills on an almost daily basis. Our Mobile Food Hub is being sent to Lobethal to allow local families to select the foods and groceries they want. We continue to supply food and food hampers to the Emergency Relief Centre, set up by the state government and we are also working with agencies on the ground to supply food and food hampers including to a second distribution centre run by a local community group at the Lobethal RSL.

Providing emergency relief in Kangaroo Island

We are working with the State Government Emergency Relief Centre initially from Kingscote and now at Parndana.  We are providing food and food hampers when they need it with at least two deliveries currently being made each week. We are also working with agencies on KI to provide their food requirements including general groceries and food hampers including Island Care, Junction Australia and BlazeAid.

We have been in talks with the military to arrange storage space on KI for hampers and assorted grocery items.

Support received

We have received a large volume of assorted groceries, toiletries and sanitary products from manufacturers, retailers, and the general public.

These items are inspected, sorted and packed as they come through our doors by a tireless group of volunteers and staff members who are working very long hours – my thanks to them as we couldn’t do what we do without their help.

Funds received through donations from members of the community are being used towards our emergency food distribution program put in place earlier in the year to service the affected areas.

We are committed to direct the food and funds received to support the Adelaide Hills and

Kangaroo Island communities,  and as when they need it.

It is important to point out that money donations will go further than food in allowing us to plan and provide efficient food relief services.

Thank you, let’s keep in touch

I cannot thank the South Australian community enough for the support received.

If you have any questions about where your donation is going or how we operate as an emergency relief provider to the state government, please do not hesitate to contact us directly at 8351 1136.

Yours sincerely,

Greg Pattinson

Foodbank SA CEO