Children in some of South Australia’s most remote communities will benefit from the inaugural corporate partnership with Port Adelaide and Foodbank’s Power To End Hunger campaign.
IMX Resources is the first to join the unique program which was established when Foodbank became joint major partner of the Power in 2012.
Under its support role, IMX Resources will relieve the Red Cross of the cost of delivering breakfast programs to deserving children at Coober Pedy Area School and Marree Aboriginal School in South Australia’s far north.
IMX Resources managing director Neil Meadows helped launch the partnership in Coober Pedy on Wednesday.
“We want to be in this for the long haul with Port Adelaide and with Foodbank,” Mr Meadows said.
“We want to really help to grow it and use this as the beginning and whatever we can turn it into so the rest of Australia can see the model works with disadvantaged kids that are turning up to our schools hungry.”
Coober Pedy Area School principal John Sutton thanked the partners for supporting the students.
“A school is only as strong as its community,” Mr Sutton said.
“I think by working together we can help solve or help support students in this situation and I think that is the most important thing with where we’re headed.”
Foodbank sources and stores food which it provides are significantly reduced cost to 600 welfare and charity organisations in South Australia.
The Power to End Hunger program is raising awareness of the rising issue of hunger in our community , increasing the profile of the solution Foodbank provides and raising corporate financial support which Port Adelaide shares with Foodbank.
Foodbank chief executive officer Richard Pagliaro said the Power to End Hunger program was a key to tackling a rising problem.
“There are many, many children who are going to school hungry in the morning because their cupboards are empty,” Mr Pagliaro said.
“There are many, many people battling and making it hard to make ends meet and we believe that with the cooperation of business entities within the community represented by IMX and by Port Adelaide that it is possible to actually create a supply chain, a food chain where there is plenty of food. There is plenty of food out there, we just need to get it into the right spots.”
The IMX commitment will enable Red Cross to divert its hard earned resources to other communities.
Red Cross SA Executive Director Kerry Symons thanked IMX for its support.
“We are hopeful that this important partnership will continue to grow, enabling Red Cross to expand its work in the region to improve access to affordable, healthy food,” Ms Symons said.
“We think this partnership is a great example of how local communities, sporting clubs, corporations and community service agencies can work together to meet the needs of the community. Together we can provide different resources and expertise to support community-led initiatives.”
Foodbank was established in South Australia in 2000 and now delivers 1,400,000kg of food annually.
Port Adelaide wears Foodbank’s End Hunger message on the back of its home guernsey and the front of its away strip.
IMX Resources is a WA-based mining company with an iron ore mine, Cairn Hill, near Coober Pedy. The Cairn Hill project employs about 200 South Australians through the mine, road and rail haulage and port operations.
