Accolade for Applecross Rotary Give A Feed (GAF) founders Wayne Smith and Aaron Pitt visited our Club recently to thank us for continuing the support we give to feeding families at Christmas. GAF started as a Heirisson Rotary project and is now in its 13th year. Not only did our members take the opportunity to donate funds to buy more hampers again, but we also had a party of volunteers head for Foodbank WA headquarters at the International Airport to pack them, a few weeks ago. The building is ‘bigger than Bunnings’ according to one of those volunteers, who told us he walked back and forth for 7km, just getting packets of mashed potatoes from where they were stored, to where the hampers were being packed, without leaving the building! The Accolade was a great compliment. However, even though Rotary still has its brand of every hamper box, the percentage of Clubs supporting GAF has dropped right off. Fewer Clubs are actively supporting GAF, so this could mean more WA families are facing a bleak Christmas when it comes to feeding the family. Demand has grown. In 2010 the target of 500 hampers (for a family of four) was met, and back then you could donate a hamper for $20. In 2023, 4500 hampers were distributed. The cost of a hamper has risen to $50 (and Foodbank then adds an extra $20 value to each hamper - thanks Foodbank!) We then heard from Ian de Nazareth, Foodbank WA’s Senior Fundraising and Partnerships Manager. He told us that we don’t ‘see’ poverty every day in WA, like you do in many parts of Asia, but it’s there! Over 1000 families are currently accessing food from Foodbank WA, every day! So members, Give a Feed this Christmas. The website also shows you how you can give a hamper in the name of a relative or friend, instead of another pair of socks. And thank you Ian, Wayne and Aaron for visiting us. Our Club has been very supportive of Give a Feed for 13 years, and one of our senior members has already been in touch with the District to ask for a message to go out to all Rotary Clubs in WA to encourage their members to get involved. Ian de Nazareth (Foodbank); Wayne Smith & Aaron Pitt (Co Founders Give A Feed) click here for new Give A Feed promo video featuring Applecross Rotary. click here for Aaron's very passionate and direct presentation to the Breakfast meeting!
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