Latest news with #Foodbank
West Australian
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Basil Zempilas: Hakea report shows Labor is fixated on votes over basic needs
1. It's messy and expensive — but also necessary. Three commissioners are now in place to run the Nedlands council for the next nine months. Where though are John Carey's inspectorate of local government and local government monitors? You remember, announced three years ago with much fanfare, we were told they would investigate and oversee complaints and assist in resolving ongoing issues. Still we wait for their arrival, and Nedlands counts the cost. 2. A scathing report which described conditions within Hakea prison as 'entirely unacceptable' is the latest evidence of a Government fixated on pet projects such as the racetrack at Burswood, instead of the basics. As 7NEWS veteran Geof Parry put it so well, 'there's very few votes in prisons or prisoners — and the Government knows it, but the public should pay more attention. Every time there's a breakout or prison riot, the bill to taxpayers can run into the millions.' 3. Not everything has to be about dollars or votes. In WA we expect a certain standard, even for those who are behind bars. Prisoners being kept in inhumane conditions increases the risk to prison guards and decreases the chances of any meaningful rehabilitation. If there's no chance of prisoners coming out any better than they went in, we've lost our way. 4. Vale Ozzy Osbourne. I never really got into him, Black Sabbath or the family reality show, but the other day I saw a clip of him meeting his lifetime idol Sir Paul McCarthy. The genuine warmth and respect he showed for the legendary Beatle was enough to convince me Ozzy was all right. 5. I was at the West Coast Fever's semi-final demolition of the Sydney Swifts on Sunday — a display I'd rank as one of the most dominant team performances I've seen. The Fever's on-court confidence has carried them to 13 consecutive wins and the grand final. One to go. 6. The other delight of attending with my daughter and niece, was seeing first-hand the phenomenal match day atmosphere and sheer inspiration the Fever players provide the stadium full of impressionable young athletes. I'm not sure any club in WA does it better. What wonderful role models they are. 7. I visited our State's largest food relief provider, Foodbank, this week. It was a reminder of how many people in WA are doing it tough. Each year Foodbank provides more than 9 million meals to West Aussies in need. 8. Can the Dockers win the flag? They can if they sneak into the top four. 9. One of the most remarkable people I have ever met turns 90 tomorrow. Happy birthday Don Cruden, a sparkling gentleman with an insatiable appetite for knowledge, who served his country for 21 years in the 7RAR 'Porky Pig' battalion of the Australian Army. 10. The WA Liberals listening tour is in Harvey on Friday. I'll be with Michelle Boylan MLC at the Curious Cockatoo Café at 9am. Great name. Come and say hi.
News.com.au
11-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
AFL star Max Gawn throws his weight to help struggling Aussies
An AFL superstar has thrown his weight behind a worthy cause that attempts to help feed families in need. Melbourne Football Club's captain Max Gawn has partnered with Red Tractor, Aldi and Foodbank to promote the 'Buy One, Give One' campaign. Essentially, every 1.6kg bag of Red Tractor oats – which retails for $6.50 – sold from July 2 at Aldi will see a bag of the same size donated to Foodbank. Each donated pack of oats creates up to 40 meals for families in need — with a goal to create three million breakfasts through this campaign, which runs while stocks last. Gawn kicked off the initiative at Foodbank's distribution centre in Victoria. 'As an athlete, I know how important a good brekkie is to set you up for the day. But millions of Aussies are going without that basic start,' he said. 'When you grab your Red Tractor oats during this campaign, you're not just feeding your family, you're feeding another family too. It's such a simple way to make a huge impact for Aussies doing it tough this winter.' Foodbank's 2024 Hunger Report highlighted that low income households are at breaking point, and one in five median income households earning less than $95,000 a year are food insecure. Around 60 per cent of food insecure households in Australia are experiencing it at a severe level. This means they regularly skip meals or go entire days without food. 'Every day we see Australians choosing between heating and eating. This winter, we're not just asking people to buy oats, we're asking them to be part of the solution,' Andrew Loader, Red Tractor's CEO, said. 'As a proud Australian brand, we see this as our responsibility. Every bag purchased doesn't just support Australian farmers, it directly feeds families who otherwise might go without.' This is the second year the campaign featuring Red Tractor oats and Aldi has run, with three million meals donated last year. Those involved want this year's campaign to have an even stronger impact. Brianna Casey AM, Foodbank Australia's CEO, said: 'We believe everyone deserves to have access to good food and there is nothing more satisfying on a cold winter's morning than a warm bowl of oats to start the day. 'We are incredibly thankful to Red Tractor and ALDI for the generous support they provide Foodbank with this much-needed donation of delicious, nutritious Australian grown oats.'
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
With schools out, childhood hunger increases
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – With students starting to get out of school for the summer, hunger will start to rise. Food banks across the area start to see an increase in families needing help when the school year ends. Some children rely on the school breakfast and lunch, and over the summer they may miss a meal. The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia says it starts working in January to fill the gap they start to see in the warmer months. The Foodbank says one in four children in the area will be hungry during the summer months. Adding it has seen a 30% increase since COVID and longer lines as new families show up each time. 'When you see a reduction in those federal benefits, the gap still needs to be filled by somebody. And our neighbors are going to look at us. As you know, the, you know, preeminent organization in the area of tackling food insecurity. So we're definitely hearing and seeing an increase in people that have never had to come to the foodbank before are now showing up for the first time ever,' said Jeremy Rodden, Community Engagement Manager. Hunger Heroes aims to help feed families during the busy summer months The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia has programs throughout the summer, like Hunger Heroes, that is created to combat summer hunger. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Hunger Heroes aims to help feed families during the busy summer months
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore is trying to help struggling families put food on the table by coming to you. The Hunger Heroes Mobile Market started this year on May 10 and will go through the end of August. During the summer, families who rely on school meal programs may need extra help, and the Foodbank is using this new market to fill the gap. The Foodbank says one in four children within their service areas will face hunger in the summertime. The market will bring fresh food to areas of the greatest need, making sure families get fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy, proteins and more. The families get to choose what they need to help reduce food waste. 'The plan is three per site. So roughly 18 of these will be throughout the distribution,' said Jeremey Rodden, community engagement manager. 'Each of the sites will have a consistent schedule for the months of June, July, and August. just to make sure that our neighbors are prepared and kind of have an expectation of when they're coming, you know, for, you know, for the three months of summer.' They can help feed up to 50 families. Today, June 5, Hunger Heroes will be at the Mary D. Pretlow Library from 1-3 p.m. or until supplies run out. All future locations and times are below: Thursday, June 51-3 D. Pretlow Library – 111 W. Ocean View Ave, Norfolk, VA 23503 Thursday, June 121-3 Creek Community Center – 2901 Margaret Booker Dr, Chesapeake, VA 23323 Friday, June 206-8 Beach Parks & Recreation at Williams Farm Park – 5269 Learning Center Cir, Virginia Beach, VA 23462 Thursday, June 262-4 Memorial Library – 443 W Washington St, Suffolk, VA 23434 Friday, June 276-8 Beach Parks & Recreation at Rosemont Elementary – 1257 S Rosemont Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23453 Thursday, July 101-3 Creek Community Center – 2901 Margaret Booker Dr, Chesapeake, VA 23323 Wednesday, July 161-3 Town Park – 3305 Main St., Exmore, VA 23350 Friday, July 186-8 Beach Parks & Recreation at Williams Farm Park – 5269 Learning Center Cir, Virginia Beach, VA 23462 Thursday, July 242-4 Memorial Library – 443 W Washington St, Suffolk, VA 23434 Friday, July 256-8 Beach Parks & Recreation at Rosemont Elementary – 1257 S Rosemont Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23453 Thursday, August 71-3 D. Pretlow Library – 111 W. Ocean View Ave, Norfolk, VA 23503 Friday, August 86-8 Beach Parks & Recreation at Rosemont Elementary – 1257 S Rosemont Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23453 Thursday, August 141-3 Creek Community Center – 2901 Margaret Booker Dr, Chesapeake, VA 23323 Wednesday, August 201-3 Town Park – 3305 Main St., Exmore, VA 23350 Friday, August 226-8 Beach Parks & Recreation at Williams Farm Park – 5269 Learning Center Cir, Virginia Beach, VA 23462 Thursday, August 282-4 p.m. Morgan Memorial Library – 443 W Washington St, Suffolk, VA 23434 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Advertiser
02-06-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
Food system's billions of 'hidden costs' a sick outlook
Millions of Australians are being let down by a national food system that is cultivating insufficient fresh produce, contributing to high obesity rates and diet-related diseases, a first-of-its-kind report has found. The CSIRO report, released on Monday, found such "hidden costs" could be as much as $274 billion - the highest of any equivalent system worldwide. The agency's research examined Australia's network of food production, processing, transport, distribution, marketing and consumption to strengthen it against sustainability challenges and boost the delivery of healthy food. Among key issues in the $800 billion system - underpinned by 100,000 farmers - was a scarcity of fresh produce ending up on the tables of Australian consumers. "Australia's food system does not produce enough vegetables to meet recommended daily intakes," the report by the nation's science agency said. "The promotion of convenient, highly processed foods is costing the Australian economy billions (of dollars) in lost productivity from the impact of preventable, diet-related diseases." There was a "significant opportunity for communities, governments and businesses to work together to create future food environments that are healthier, more sustainable and more equitable". Australia's "industrialised food system" included many high-quality and safe items, but was also associated with obesity and diet-related diseases at epidemic levels. This was linked to the poor diet of the average Australian, who ate too few fruit and vegetables and too many nutrient-poor "discretionary foods". "Displacement of healthy foods with discretionary foods means that many Australians suffer from micronutrient deficiencies despite the relative abundance of food," the report said. There was also uneven access to grocery stores for healthy diet choices, room for improvement on food safety, and widespread food insecurity across the country, according to the report. About 3.4 million households experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in the past 12 months, while 31 per cent of remote Indigenous people experienced food insecurity, it said. In addition to impacts on human health, hidden costs include animal welfare, loss of biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and air, soil and water degradation, and food waste. "This national stocktake provides an evidence base to guide our actions as social, cultural, environmental, and economic priorities shift," CSIRO agriculture and food director Michael Robertson said. "We have an intergenerational responsibility to pursue these goals vigorously." Foodbank chief operating officer Sarah Pennell said the findings confirmed the charity's observations from operations around the country. "Too many Australians are struggling to afford and access nutritious food," Ms Pennell said in a statement. "It's especially concerning that fresh fruit and vegetables, essential for good health, are among the first things to be cut from household budgets when money is tight. "Good nutrition is a basic right, not a luxury, and this report reinforces the urgency of addressing Australia's growing food insecurity crisis." Millions of Australians are being let down by a national food system that is cultivating insufficient fresh produce, contributing to high obesity rates and diet-related diseases, a first-of-its-kind report has found. The CSIRO report, released on Monday, found such "hidden costs" could be as much as $274 billion - the highest of any equivalent system worldwide. The agency's research examined Australia's network of food production, processing, transport, distribution, marketing and consumption to strengthen it against sustainability challenges and boost the delivery of healthy food. Among key issues in the $800 billion system - underpinned by 100,000 farmers - was a scarcity of fresh produce ending up on the tables of Australian consumers. "Australia's food system does not produce enough vegetables to meet recommended daily intakes," the report by the nation's science agency said. "The promotion of convenient, highly processed foods is costing the Australian economy billions (of dollars) in lost productivity from the impact of preventable, diet-related diseases." There was a "significant opportunity for communities, governments and businesses to work together to create future food environments that are healthier, more sustainable and more equitable". Australia's "industrialised food system" included many high-quality and safe items, but was also associated with obesity and diet-related diseases at epidemic levels. This was linked to the poor diet of the average Australian, who ate too few fruit and vegetables and too many nutrient-poor "discretionary foods". "Displacement of healthy foods with discretionary foods means that many Australians suffer from micronutrient deficiencies despite the relative abundance of food," the report said. There was also uneven access to grocery stores for healthy diet choices, room for improvement on food safety, and widespread food insecurity across the country, according to the report. About 3.4 million households experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in the past 12 months, while 31 per cent of remote Indigenous people experienced food insecurity, it said. In addition to impacts on human health, hidden costs include animal welfare, loss of biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and air, soil and water degradation, and food waste. "This national stocktake provides an evidence base to guide our actions as social, cultural, environmental, and economic priorities shift," CSIRO agriculture and food director Michael Robertson said. "We have an intergenerational responsibility to pursue these goals vigorously." Foodbank chief operating officer Sarah Pennell said the findings confirmed the charity's observations from operations around the country. "Too many Australians are struggling to afford and access nutritious food," Ms Pennell said in a statement. "It's especially concerning that fresh fruit and vegetables, essential for good health, are among the first things to be cut from household budgets when money is tight. "Good nutrition is a basic right, not a luxury, and this report reinforces the urgency of addressing Australia's growing food insecurity crisis." Millions of Australians are being let down by a national food system that is cultivating insufficient fresh produce, contributing to high obesity rates and diet-related diseases, a first-of-its-kind report has found. The CSIRO report, released on Monday, found such "hidden costs" could be as much as $274 billion - the highest of any equivalent system worldwide. The agency's research examined Australia's network of food production, processing, transport, distribution, marketing and consumption to strengthen it against sustainability challenges and boost the delivery of healthy food. Among key issues in the $800 billion system - underpinned by 100,000 farmers - was a scarcity of fresh produce ending up on the tables of Australian consumers. "Australia's food system does not produce enough vegetables to meet recommended daily intakes," the report by the nation's science agency said. "The promotion of convenient, highly processed foods is costing the Australian economy billions (of dollars) in lost productivity from the impact of preventable, diet-related diseases." There was a "significant opportunity for communities, governments and businesses to work together to create future food environments that are healthier, more sustainable and more equitable". Australia's "industrialised food system" included many high-quality and safe items, but was also associated with obesity and diet-related diseases at epidemic levels. This was linked to the poor diet of the average Australian, who ate too few fruit and vegetables and too many nutrient-poor "discretionary foods". "Displacement of healthy foods with discretionary foods means that many Australians suffer from micronutrient deficiencies despite the relative abundance of food," the report said. There was also uneven access to grocery stores for healthy diet choices, room for improvement on food safety, and widespread food insecurity across the country, according to the report. About 3.4 million households experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in the past 12 months, while 31 per cent of remote Indigenous people experienced food insecurity, it said. In addition to impacts on human health, hidden costs include animal welfare, loss of biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and air, soil and water degradation, and food waste. "This national stocktake provides an evidence base to guide our actions as social, cultural, environmental, and economic priorities shift," CSIRO agriculture and food director Michael Robertson said. "We have an intergenerational responsibility to pursue these goals vigorously." Foodbank chief operating officer Sarah Pennell said the findings confirmed the charity's observations from operations around the country. "Too many Australians are struggling to afford and access nutritious food," Ms Pennell said in a statement. "It's especially concerning that fresh fruit and vegetables, essential for good health, are among the first things to be cut from household budgets when money is tight. "Good nutrition is a basic right, not a luxury, and this report reinforces the urgency of addressing Australia's growing food insecurity crisis." Millions of Australians are being let down by a national food system that is cultivating insufficient fresh produce, contributing to high obesity rates and diet-related diseases, a first-of-its-kind report has found. The CSIRO report, released on Monday, found such "hidden costs" could be as much as $274 billion - the highest of any equivalent system worldwide. The agency's research examined Australia's network of food production, processing, transport, distribution, marketing and consumption to strengthen it against sustainability challenges and boost the delivery of healthy food. Among key issues in the $800 billion system - underpinned by 100,000 farmers - was a scarcity of fresh produce ending up on the tables of Australian consumers. "Australia's food system does not produce enough vegetables to meet recommended daily intakes," the report by the nation's science agency said. "The promotion of convenient, highly processed foods is costing the Australian economy billions (of dollars) in lost productivity from the impact of preventable, diet-related diseases." There was a "significant opportunity for communities, governments and businesses to work together to create future food environments that are healthier, more sustainable and more equitable". Australia's "industrialised food system" included many high-quality and safe items, but was also associated with obesity and diet-related diseases at epidemic levels. This was linked to the poor diet of the average Australian, who ate too few fruit and vegetables and too many nutrient-poor "discretionary foods". "Displacement of healthy foods with discretionary foods means that many Australians suffer from micronutrient deficiencies despite the relative abundance of food," the report said. There was also uneven access to grocery stores for healthy diet choices, room for improvement on food safety, and widespread food insecurity across the country, according to the report. About 3.4 million households experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in the past 12 months, while 31 per cent of remote Indigenous people experienced food insecurity, it said. In addition to impacts on human health, hidden costs include animal welfare, loss of biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and air, soil and water degradation, and food waste. "This national stocktake provides an evidence base to guide our actions as social, cultural, environmental, and economic priorities shift," CSIRO agriculture and food director Michael Robertson said. "We have an intergenerational responsibility to pursue these goals vigorously." Foodbank chief operating officer Sarah Pennell said the findings confirmed the charity's observations from operations around the country. "Too many Australians are struggling to afford and access nutritious food," Ms Pennell said in a statement. "It's especially concerning that fresh fruit and vegetables, essential for good health, are among the first things to be cut from household budgets when money is tight. "Good nutrition is a basic right, not a luxury, and this report reinforces the urgency of addressing Australia's growing food insecurity crisis."
