To mark World Food Day on 16 October, Kellogg Australia has commissioned research to highlight the perceptions of hunger and food insecurity within rural and regional communities across Australia, where the pandemic has increased concerns for 50 per cent of people.
Kellogg Australia’s research revealed that one in five Australians (20 per cent) living in these areas have experienced food insecurity first-hand, while one in six (16 per cent) have skipped a meal in the past 12 months because they couldn’t afford it.
With 58 per cent of Australians living in these communities expressing the desire for greater support to combat food insecurity, Kellogg Australia Charitable Foundation (KACF), have partnered with the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR). This will support grants for projects that help tackle hunger in more remote parts of Australia.
Under the FRRR partnership, grants are awarded to not-for-profits and community organisations in regions in need and are used for projects such as community gardens, educational food programs, volunteer training and additional resources.
“Our three-year partnership with Kellogg Australia Charitable Foundation allows us to work together to support locally-identified initiatives that will help to address food insecurity in remote, rural and regional communities,” FRRR general manager of Partnerships and Services Sarah Matthee said.
“This support is more important than ever, given the cumulative impacts of droughts, natural disasters and the ongoing impacts of COVID-19.”
Morgan Volunteer Group, from Morgan in South Australia, has used the Kellogg Australia Charitable Foundation FRRR grant to purchase a vehicle to deliver food to those in need.
“The vehicle is absolutely crucial to our work delivering up to 500 meals per week – as we can cover over 250km on a weekly basis,” Morgan Volunteer Group founder Jakob Gamertsfelder said.
“We’re not only delivering vital meals to those who would otherwise go hungry, we’re providing companionship and a chat to locals who can go days without seeing anyone.”
Since the start of 2021, Kellogg Australia has donated over two million serves of cereal. By 2026, they are aiming to donate another 15 million serves of cereal to those suffering from food insecurity across Australia.
“Following a turbulent 18 months, it has never been more important to support those living in rural and regional communities,” Kellogg ANZ Corporate Affairs director Tamara Howe said.
“Through the Kellogg Australia Charitable Foundation, together with the FRRR, we are committed to help build resilience and combat food insecurity in vulnerable communities to help create a more secure and healthy future for generations to come.”
Defined as the inadequate access to food, inadequate supply and the inappropriate use (i.e. preparation) of food, the research has uncovered that over half of all Australians (57 per cent) are not fully aware of what the term “food insecurity” means.
It has also been revealed that of those who have had to skip a meal in the last 12 months, breakfast was the most commonly skipped by the majority (49 per cent, compared to lunch 36 per cent and 15 per cent dinner).
To find out more about the work KACF and FRRR are doing to tackle hunger and food insecurity, click here.