It's been a big season for the ALDI MiniRoos, with lots of accomplishments and plenty of healthy and happy Australian kids ending the year on a high.
There's no doubt that 2019 was our biggest year yet. In partnership with the Football Federation Australia (FFA) the ALDI MiniRoos program took place in over 2000 communities across Australia, introducing kids to the game of football in an inclusive and engaging way. This year's ALDI MiniRoos program saw an increase of 4,606 participants and the Kick-Off program grew by 3,627 participants. We were also proud to introduce 1,200 migrants to football in communities across New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland through the ALDI MiniRoos Multicultural Settlement Program. We also distributed 13,000 starter kits to ALDI MiniRoos participants which included essentials such as a boot bag, football and water bottle.
We kicked off the season by announcing that the Mighty Mini Chefs Food Truck would be touring around the country, creating delicious and healthy food for ALDI MiniRoos kids and educating them on the benefits of eating well and staying active. After first making an appearance at the Hyundai A-League 2019 Final Series across Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, the truck hit the road visiting clubs along the East Coast of Australia. In addition to serving recipes from the Mighty Menu, the food truck also had interactive activities for the kids, including iPads with a purpose developed app for the ALDI MiniRoos participants to learn how to build their own virtual nutritious lunchbox. There were also inflatable goals and equipment for the kids to stay enjoy after eating their Mighty Menu food treats.
The Food Truck was undoubtedly a success, with many ALDI MiniRoos parents thrilled to see their kids engaging with such a strong educational tool. Not only was the Food Truck activation fun, we were proud to be able to equip Aussie kids with the knowledge and resources to make positive decisions about healthy eating and living a balanced lifestyle.
A major benefit of the ALDI MiniRoos partnership is the chance to teach kids about making healthy choices. This has been a focus since the beginning of the partnership. Whether it was delivering healthy snacks to ALDI MiniRoos games, gifting vouchers to clubs for them to purchase fresh produce for half-time, or our presence at Gala events and Hyundai A-League games where healthy snacks were handed out to ALDI MiniRoos participants and event attendees, our impact has been far reaching.
In an important moment for women's football, the FIFA Women's World Cup took place in France in June this year. The Westfield Matilda's represented Australia at the international competition, which proudly put a spotlight on women's role in football. It was inspiring for many young ALDI MiniRoos to see their favourite players take to the world stage and compete in such a renowned competition. The sporting event went hand-in-hand with the FFA's focus on the development and support of girls in football. This year saw 2,000 new girls join the MiniRoos Club and Kick-Off programs. We were also thrilled to have partnered with Sam Kerr, Westfield Matilda's and Perth Glory player, who came on board as an ALDI MiniRoos ambassador. As an ambassador, Sam was able to help us spread the message of healthy living and enjoying the game of football.
Over the duration of the ALDI MiniRoos partnership the program has grown, enabling the FFA to employ more Development Officers in each state to help support the program in local clubs. This has allowed many ALDI MiniRoos kids to further develop their skills and encourage them to find a true passion for football. Recognising the esteem that many young footballers hold their professional counterparts, the 'half-time heroes' returned again in 2019, giving young ALDI MiniRoos the chance to meet their heroes on the field at Hyundai A-League games during half time.
Congratulations to the 2019 ALDI MiniRoos participants on a successful season. This year you have had the chance to meet some heroes, score some goals and have fun playing the sport you love, all while enjoying a healthy and active lifestyle.
