Newsagencies support Foodbank WA during National Newsagency Week
Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association (ALNA) has created a new partnership with hunger relief charity, Foodbank, for an in-store community fundraising campaign during National Newsagent Week and beyond, to provide much-needed food relief to the increasing number of Australians in need in their communities.
The in-store activation will launch during our second annual National Newsagent Week, between 19th to 26th September, and will continue beyond that week with regular fundraisers in heightened times of need. Customers can purchase Foodbank tickets, which to make a cash donation to the value of meal equivalent.
Ben Kearney, CEO, Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association, said, "The local community has always been the driving force of the thousands of small businesses that we represent. Like the communities we serve, the current crisis has impacted newsagents around the country in many ways.
"The theme of National Newsagent Week this year is Community, and we want to use our platform to respond to the needs of many individuals and families impacted by COVID-19, and to provide support where it's most needed."
The donation drive will see participating newsagents offer special Foodbank Campaign tickets to their customers in exchange for $2 they will be able to provide 4 meals and $5, 10 meals for those in need. The great thing about Foodbank, is that every cent of those donations goes directly to purchase and distribute food to those in need in your state, and every $1 donated yields an equivalent of $5 retail value of food via Foodbank's food procurement and relationships, which can put additional meals on the table of those in need in the community
Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey, said : "We are thrilled to partner with the Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association to reinforce our role in the community as we continue to provide emergency food relief to those affected by COVID-19. We have seen demand for food relief across the country grow exponentially at the height of the pandemic but we are so grateful for the amazing amount of support we have had from organisations such as ALNA.
Mr Kearney said, "As we continue to confront the extraordinary challenges of the COVID-19 crisis, we need all parties to come to the table and look out for each other. By committing to help Foodbank provide food relief, we hope to do our part in making sure those in need will not go hungry.
"The main thing that has kept newsagents resilient to a degree, and one of the things we do really well - particularly in local communities, is that we promote quality human interaction and local knowledge. Friendly and knowledgeable staff are the most important attributes of newsagents; they know their store and they know what's going on in their community," he said.
"The Australian Lottery and Newsagent Association is Australia's peak industry body for news and lottery agents. Bricks and mortar retail is definitely hard work, but newsagents offer two things that cannot be offered in online retail: community and convenience. And while newsagents' offerings will continue to evolve, those two sought-after qualities will remain ," concluded Kearney.
