QUEENSLAND:
The AIP in collaboration with other industry associations, have spent their Christmas Party every year for the last seven years with a twist. The Members pack Foodbank hampers for people who need some assistance from their community at Christmas time. In 2017 over 150 people packed 1100 hampers for Foodbank to provide to those in need during the holiday season. The hampers included 800 family hampers and 300 ladies packs. The total valuing over $73,000 worth of items that were either donated, or the funds raised for, by the Associations and the wider industry. Over the last seven years, the team has packed 6500 hampers to the value of close to $730,000 for people in need and they look forward to packing even more hampers in 2018.

SO HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Well it is easy! You could encourage your staff and colleagues to help you collect one of the nominated items on our wish list during the next 6 months, purchase the items, or donate funds towards the items. Any contribution to attaining our wish list is appreciated.

VICTORIA:
SO HOW CAN THE AIP HELP FOODBANK VICTORIA?
Join our AIP Warehouse Volunteering Program; either as an individual, with your staff and colleagues, or even with your families. The AIP will work directly with Foodbank Victoria to book in some days where our volunteers can visit the Yarraville Warehouse and help pick and pack on-line orders and mixed grocery boxes. The day will start with a formal introduction on how Foodbank Victoria works and information on their charity partners.

SO HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?
The AIP Foodbank Warehouse Volunteering Program will provide you the opportunity to better understand how Foodbank works and will be a combination of picking and packing of on-line food orders and packing mixed grocery boxes. 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. Each volunteer would have the opportunity to work in both areas. Shifts would ideally be for four to five hours.