The West Coast Eagles’ annual Foodbank WA Cans For a Cause food drive raised more than 3.5 tonnes of food and $1287, the equivalent of 7,500 meals for West Australians in need.
This was the fourth year of the club’s partnership with Foodbank WA and 2016's drive reaped 500 extra meals’ worth of food than last year’s event.
This year’s Cans for a Cause event coincided with National Volunteer week and Theresa Sutton, who has been volunteering for Foodbank for more than four years, was lucky enough to attend last weekend’s 103-point win against the Saints with her two grandkids as a guest of Foodbank WA and the West Coast Coast.
However, Theresa’s connection with the not-for-profit organisation began long before she became a volunteer.
She has relied on food and groceries from Foodbank since becoming the sole carer of her grandchildren after her daughter and third grandchild were killed in a car accident 11 years ago.
As she struggled to care for her two grandchildren, Theresa joined the Wanslea Family Services Grandcare group, which provided much-needed support and understanding.
The group also provided Theresa with her first Foodbank voucher.
“The affordable food from Foodbank frees up my limited funds for other necessities for the children,” Theresa said.
“I started volunteering for Foodbank three years after they started helping me and I’ve been there for over four years now. I love volunteering; that’s my way of giving back.”
The support of West Coast Eagles members and fans not only assists families like Theresa’s but helps spread the message about the issue of hunger in Western Australia.
The West Coast Eagles would like to thank all members and fans that donated tinned goods last Sunday and helped make Cans for a Cause a huge success.
To find out more about Foodbank WA or to donate to their winter appeal visit www.foodbankwa.org.au
