The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) has continued its long-standing partnership with Foodbank by introducing a new volunteering day in Victoria, which allows members to find out how the organisation operates.
The first day held in late October and the AIP Foodbank Warehouse Volunteering Program will continue in 2019.
It allows members and their colleagues to work directly with Foodbank Victoria to help the Yarraville Warehouse pick and pack on-line orders and mixed grocery boxes.
The program provides the opportunity to better understand how Foodbank works and is a combination of picking and packing of on-line food orders and packing mixed grocery boxes.
READ: AIP president explains biodegradable and compostable packaging
The on-line orders have been placed by many of the 470 charity partners who look after the thousands of Victorians currently experiencing food insecurity.
The mixed groceries items are donated by school students, community groups, clubs and corporate organisations who run food drives to provide the ingredients for the food boxes.
Their charity partners are able to order these boxes which they then pass on to those families or individuals who need that extra help with grocery items.
The volunteering program provides vital work supporting struggling Victorians.
Members have supported numerous charities across the state by packing their food orders, packing around 1600 boxes of cans and also packing a range of mixed vegetables for Foodbank Victoria.
Together the AIP team packed a 21,459kg – equivalent to about 38,256 meals for the community.
That is the equivalent of feeding a family of four, three meals a day for about nine years.
AIP will continue this program in 2019 and will be announcing new dates shortly and everyone is invited to join.