Shining a light on everyday heroes this World Food Day

Over the past 18 months, both Australians and New Zealanders have had to endure a lot, from floods to droughts and a global pandemic - the effects of which are still lingering.

These events have led to unforeseeable consequences that left many of us feeling exposed and vulnerable. For residents of regional and remote communities, these feelings have only amplified and intensified concerns of food insecurity.

Recent research we conducted has revealed that half of Australians living in regional and rural communities are even more concerned about food insecurity than they were before the pandemic. In a true show of mateship, many Aussies are taking up the fight against food insecurity. Within the last six months, 1 in 6 Aussies have donated their time to their local community group and are doing their bit to make sure people in need have access to food. It is these local heroes we want to celebrate this World Food Day.

We know we can’t do this alone

Partnering with the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR)

Since 2019, our charitable foundation, the Kellogg Australia Charitable Foundation (KACF) has partnered with the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) to provide grants to help local legends tackle food insecurity and assist in safeguarding access to food supply in rural and regional Australia. ?Combatting food insecurity is something we’ve long been passionate about, and we’re keen to be involved in any initiatives that enable us to give back. Giving back to the community is a feat we’re not alone in, with over half (58%) of Aussies living in regional and rural communities expressing a desire for greater support on the issue.?

With KACF providing grants, Kellogg also offers each of the community groups additional support with food donations such as Sultana Bran, Nutri-Grain and Just Right cereal, and employee volunteering.

?Supporting the New Zealand Food Network (NZFN)

We’ve also been working with the NZFN since 2019 and donate a selection of our foods such as Special K, Sultana Bran, and Rice Bubbles on a regular basis.

With almost 40% of New Zealand households experiencing food insecurity, the non-profit organisation does a terrific job in getting food to the communities that need it the most. Through our collaboration, so far, we have been able to donate more than 116,000 kilograms of food, worth over $1.6 million to vulnerable communities across New Zealand. The donations are part of a wider Better Days initiative that since 2013, has seen Kellogg donate more than 4.7million serves of food across New Zealand to ensure nobody wakes up to an empty bowl.

Everyday local heroes?

Partnerships with FRRR and NZFN are vital in helping us work toward ending hunger.

Each year the FRRR receive applications for grants from individuals and community groups who are all wholeheartedly deserving. For us, it is heartwarming to be able to read all of the applications and learn more about the great work everyday Aussies are taking to help create Better Days for all.

The latest recipients, the Morgan Volunteer Group, Tharpa Choeling Incorporated, Prepare Produce Provide, Food Embassy and Country Life Compassion, are very keen to utilise their grants to continue giving back to their communities in a variety of ways. These range from a volunteer training day, purchasing a new vehicle for deliveries, and hosting a number of community focused events such as cooking classes and gardening your own sustainable produce.

We’re excited to see how the grants we’ve provided through the FRRR partnerships and through our ongoing food donations help to make a difference for the families and communities, as we continue to help tackle this issue of food security in Australia & NZ.

To learn more about food insecurity visit: https://www.kelloggs.com.au/en_AU/open-for-breakfast/giving-back.html