Nestlé Australia has announced an extension to its partnership with food relief organisation Foodbank Australia, donating a minimum of $2 million in products over the next two months to Australians in need. The company will provide $500,000 each fortnight.
The donation will include food items such as coffee, cereals, meal bases and pet food. Foodbank will distribute the items through its network of 2400 charity agencies, providing much needed support for Australians facing hardship and uncertainty.
Foodbank Australia CEO Brianna Casey said: “As we find ourselves in unprecedented times as a result of coronavirus, more Australians than ever are facing a struggle to make day-to-day ends meet. Nestlé has been a long-standing partner of Foodbank and its ongoing commitment to support Australians is more important and valuable than ever.
“Foodbank has an exceptional support network of donors and supporters that help us provide food relief to more than 815,000 Aussies a month, during normal times. These are no longer normal times and our partners are rising to the call.”
“Regular donations like Nestlé’s are helping to bridge the gap, but demand for food is rising at a rate never before seen and we need to do more to keep up, and this donation will make a huge difference to the lives of some of our most vulnerable people and communities,” Casey said.
Girls Academy commitment
In addition to the Foodbank partnership, Nestlé is extending its 10-year partnership with Role Models and Leaders Australia, who run the Girls Academy.
The academy is a school-based engagement program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls. Nestlé will provide essential food items to 43 at-risk remote Indigenous communities that are facing food scarcity as some are in lockdown.
Nestlé Oceania CEO Sandra Martinez said: “An act of kindness can go a long way in these uncertain times, with even the smallest gestures having the potential to make a big difference to both individuals and broader communities.
“Now, more than ever, is a time for Australians to band together and help one another. Together with Foodbank and the Girls Academy, we are aiming to do what we can to make a positive difference and help those Australians who need it the most during these difficult times.”
Partnership with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider has announced the company will be working with the IFRC and its emergency appeal.
Schneider said: “The IFRC is a strong and trusted global partner of Nestlé, with unmatched presence and expertise in providing first aid, emergency response and epidemic control.
“The Red Cross and Nestlé were both established over a century ago. We have common roots in Switzerland and are present in almost every country in the world.
“We share common values, including a determination to make a difference on the ground.
“As part of the emergency response, the IFRC is providing immediate help to strengthen health care systems, where the need is greatest.”
Nestlé will work with IFRC in four ways:
- donating food, medical nutrition products and bottled water to bring relief to those most affected by the pandemic;
- deploy available logistics capacities from our out-of-home business to support the needs of the IFRC in various countries;
- donate CHF 10 million (AU$17 million) for immediate deployment in countries where it is most needed; and
- match 1:1 any donations to the Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies or Federation made by our employees.
Schneider said: “Now is the time to demonstrate the values of the Nestlé family. I am deeply impressed and humbled by what our team has accomplished in order to support individuals and communities affected by this crisis.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is a global problem and consequently we are offering help on the ground everywhere, drawing on our extensive presence and experience in one hundred and eighty-seven countries. In addition, we give our full support to those who are fighting tirelessly against the spread of the virus, every day.
“This is where our trusted and longstanding partnership with the IFRC comes in. We applaud the relentless efforts of the millions of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers and admire their determination to make a difference on the ground.”
