WWF Australia collaborate with Woolworths and Foodbank to support wildlife

Woolworths, Foodbank and WWF Australia have banded together to support the NSW Government’s aerial food drop program which has seen tens of thousands more sweet potatoes and carrots flown by helicopter into NSW national parks.

NSW Saving our Species Program Manager Linda Bell said the collaborative effort was to sustain specific endangered species in bushfire affected areas noting “Woolworths and Foodbank are donating carrots and sweet potatoes, and WWF-Australia is funding more helicopter flights, to deliver emergency food to the endangered Brush-tailed rock-wallaby while other food sources become available.”

Woolworths Supermarkets Managing Director, Claire Peters said they were pleased to further add to their existing financial and surplus food donations to wildlife charities by standing together with the NSW Government, WWF and Foodbank.

Peters added “the impact of these bushfires on Australian wildlife has captured the attention of our teams and customers, who are looking to us as a business to provide additional support.

“Supporting this program with the supply of fresh food from Woolworths will make a meaningful and immediate impact on the lives of our vulnerable and endangered native species.”

WWF-Australia Chief Executive, Dermot O’Gorman said the bushfires have devastated communities and our wildlife is hurting like never before, so we must look for innovative solutions like these food drops to make a difference.

O’Gorman enthused “thanks to the generosity of our supporters we can help our native species that are struggling without access to their natural food and water resources.”

Foodbank NSW & ACT Chief Executive, Gerry Andersen said Foodbank NSW & ACT is proud to be part of the effort to feed our endangered native animals noting “while our role is usually to feed hungry Aussies, food for Australia’s endangered native fauna is an important part of the recovery for these regions that have been so devastatingly impacted by the fires.”

Images: Field officers Katherine Howard and Judd Stinson (top, courtesy of J Stinson) and wildlife make the most of the food drops (below).