The hunger gap is widening but ensuring that every Australian has something to eat each day is within our means, according to Foodbank CEO Jason Hincks.
Speaking on World Food Day, Jason Hincks, CEO of Foodbank Australia, said: “It doesn’t have to be that way. In this country of abundance, it is well within our means to ensure that every vulnerable Australian has a square meal today.
“Foodbank, along with our food industry and welfare sector partners, is showing that ending hunger in Australia is not an impossible dream; it’s something we can and should aspire to.”
Foodbank says it is striving to meet the growing need, distributing 13 per cent more food last year than 2013, however the gap is widening.
According to Foodbank’s annual Hunger Report, 60,000 people seeking food relief each month are unable to be assisted by front line charities due to lack of food and resources, and 40 per cent of those are children.
Foodbank says that while homeless people continue to be in need, low income families are now the biggest group seeking food relief, followed by the unemployed, single parents and people with a mental or physical disability.
The elderly are also not immune with one third of Australians over 60 now living below the poverty line.
The overall number of people seeking relief is growing. Last year there was an eight per cent rise according to the Hunger Report, with more than 20 per cent of charities faced with increases in demand of over 15 per cent.
