Australia’s leading food rescue organisation, SecondBite hosted its inaugural Million Meals Day on World Food Day (16 October) and raised enough funds to provide the equivalent of one million meals to feed vulnerable Australians.
Donating $1 to SecondBite provided up to five meals for people experiencing hunger and donations received up until Million Meals Day went twice as far with SecondBite partners matching them dollar for dollar, up to $100,000.
YouGov research reveals more Australians are food insecure, and the number is growing. In the past six months, more than half (56%) of Australians say they’ve had to make difficult choices between buying food and paying for other expenses, due to limited financial resources.
SecondBite | FareShare CEO, Daniel Moorfield said, with this year’s World Food Day theme being ‘right to foods for a better life and a better future’, the Million Meals Day fundraiser was designed to action this call.
“Support for SecondBite’s Million Meals Day ensures that fewer people in our communities –neighbours, friends or colleagues – have to make the heart-wrenching decision between buying food and paying for other essential expenses.”
On the day, SecondBite staff and volunteers turned SecondBite’s Abbotsford HQ into a hive of activity, with a community of wonderful supporters hosting a telethon, making and receiving calls to process donations.
SecondBite ambassadors, food writer and TV personality, Matt Preston and celebrity chef, Tobie Puttock, alongside SecondBite co-founder, Simone Carson joined the team throughout the day to lend their support.
“Million Meals Day is not just about food relief; it’s about transforming lives. Food brings people together and starts a conversation. This movement creates the momentum to enable SecondBite to have an even greater positive impact on the lives of more Australians,” Preston said.