It was the eighth winter fundraising dinner in the organisation’s 12-year history and attracted the highest number of attendees yet, 175.
The dinner is a major boost to FoodShare, which does not have regular ongoing funding and relies heavily on community support.
There has been a drastic increase in demand for food donations recently, with the cost of living rising and families still recovering from the October 2022 floods.
“Demand for food relief locally, and therefore our service, is unprecedented at the moment, therefore we are experiencing major food shortages,” Shepparton FoodShare’s Kate Smith said.
The Make a Meal of June MC, Shepparton FoodShare board chair Jeremy Rensford, opened the evening after a Welcome to Country by Yorta Yorta man Jarvis Atkinson, thanking the crowd for helping raise $600,000 during these evenings to date.
By the end of the night, ticket sales, a raffle, donations and $30,000 from the Margaret Attwood Trust announced by Alan Rossignoli contributed to that total, adding $105,000.
A monthly partner auction, in which businesses bid to sponsor a month of FoodShare with a tax-deductible donation in exchange for cross-promotion with FoodShare, also featured, with a record 15 businesses pledging their support for the coming year.
Mr Rensford said the event was a chance to celebrate the local community.
“It’s a chance to celebrate the fact that we work together and we play together, like tonight, to gather together in unity for what’s best for our city,” he said.
“Somehow, this amazing community just keeps making it bigger and bigger; I just want to thank you for that.”
Between courses, guest speakers Josh Murray from Josh’s Rainbow Eggs, who has donated 360,000 eggs since partnering with Shepparton FoodShare, and Jolene Bowles from Tatura’s Generation Op Shop joined Mr Rensford on stage for a Q&A.
Representatives from other partners, such as SPC and Noumi, were also in attendance, along with many City of Greater Shepparton councillors, including Mayor Shane Sali.
“We live in a food bowl,” Mr Rensford said.
“It’s such a joy to be part of the Goulburn Valley, a place where we know food, we’ve done it for years and years and years.
“There’s one part I have to say I hate about the growth of our Shepparton FoodShare and that is that more people are hungry.
“But every other part of the growth is to be celebrated and that’s why we’re here tonight.”
The organisation’s new purpose-built warehouse is being constructed on land generously donated by the Andreadis family in Mooroopna.
It will include office areas, a meeting room, a commercial kitchen to maximise food usage and minimise waste, a controlled room for food repackaging, an undercover drop-off and pick-up bay and space to store 456 pallets, which is about three times the capacity at the current warehouse.
Solar power will also support energy efficiency.
“The response to our annual fundraiser and the amount raised this year is incredible,” Ms Smith said.
“Since we began in 2012 with no recurrent or guaranteed funding we have been able to keep our doors open due to extreme community generosity. We are in awe of our community.”
To donate to Shepparton FoodShare: www.sheppartonfoodshare.org.au/donate
To volunteer at Shepparton FoodShare: www.sheppartonfoodshare.org.au/volunteer-1
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