Carryn Vincec

Did you know that a staggering 2 million people rely on food relief at some point every year in Australia? A million of these are children. The evidence is largely hidden, but the facts confirm that the need is growing, particularly amongst the working poor and the elderly.

The Let’s Can Hunger Challenge, sponsored by SIFE and Campbell Soup Company, is mobilising students around the world, coordinating urgent and lasting local hunger relief efforts and generating awareness about hunger. Currently, SIFE teams in Australia, the USA, Canada and Mexico are participating in the challenge.

The University of Melbourne SIFE is currently engaging in three exciting initiatives to help address the hunger problem in Australia. To target the need for Urgent Hunger Relief, we are currently organising a series of Casual Dress Days at secondary schools across Melbourne, collecting non-perishable food donations from students. We will also be hosting the much-anticipated Let’s Can Hunger SIFE Speed Dating for Charity Event this Friday night to raise funds and awareness for Foodbank, Australia’s largest hunger relief organisation.

It’s not just about collecting cans and raising money however – awareness and education are also vital parts of our campaign. We have partnered with a local soup kitchen at the Ascot Vale Community Centre to develop a series of “7 Handy Hints to Stretch Your Food Budget Further” posters and pamphlets. These are distributed to the members of the local community that come to the Community Centre for assistance.

By educating those most in need on how to shop smarter and save money, we are doing our part to help break the cycle of hunger in Australia.

Fore more information or to get involved, email: letscanhunger@unimelbsife.org.au