Each week around 130 hampers containing staples like bread, cereal, fruit and vegetables go as far out as Portland, Hamilton and Camperdown – around 700 kilograms of food each day.
But there was one big problem Food Share executive officer Dedy Friebe couldn’t get past: getting fresh milk to these households.
Over the past year he and South West Coast MP Roma Britnell have been working together to make it happen, and thanks to Fonterra’s Cobden plant that goal is now a reality.
The dairy giant has committed to donating 100 litres of Woolworths own brand milk fresh from the factory to Warrnambool to be distributed via a network of schools, churches and partner welfare agencies to children and families in need in the region.
Mr Friebe said it would make a huge difference to their service as they no longer have to worry about how they will get milk into every hamper.
“It’s taken a long time, it was a challenge because the big three dairy brands donate a million litres of milk a year to Food Bank Australia, so from their charity perspective they’re doing their bit,” he said.
“What we’re contending is: this is your backyard, this is where it’s made, we don’t get access to that million litres of milk easily and we need it.
“We’re doing around 100 hampers a week so we need 100 litres every week.”
The food bank is supplied with lots of local produce, including eggs from Caravan Eggs and 50 kilograms of sausages a week from Midfield Meats.
Ms Britnell said it was a no-brainer that the fresh milk could be sourced locally, being the countries largest dairy production area.
“We’re the largest milk-producing region in the nation, if we can’t produce milk for our most vulnerable, who can?” Ms Britnell said
“It was something I wasn’t going to let go. It was hard and it shouldn’t have been.
“Our farmers do an amazing job and it’s western Victorian milk going to western Victorian people who are in need.”
Fonterra’s Andrew Westlake said a few corporate hurdles slowed the process down.
“Now we’ve got an ongoing partnership with Dedy and the team and will work to supply milk to them every week,” he said.
“From a Fonterra perspective, every person that’s associated with the milk locally works and lives in the western district.
“So for us it’s being proud of what we manufacture and getting to see it go to a good cause.”
But the scheme was met with scepticism by some who said it took away from the plight of local farmers struggling with low farm gate prices.
“A hundred litres a week is not a big deal to any factory,” reader Sam Schreuder said.
“I think the farmers are still getting hurt while these big companies try to make themselves look charitable.”
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