Hungry Puffs, the empty box of cereal feeding hungry kids

Hungry Puffs is the cereal box that Foodbank WA is hoping will help put food on the table of tens of thousands of Western Australians this Christmas. While Hungry Puffs contain no vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates or calories, the sale of the empty $5 cereal box raises enough money to feed 10 children this festive season.

“For many West Australians, Christmas is a time of family, friends, good food and cheer. But sadly, food insecurity affects one-in-five children and we know that there are more than 100,000 West Australian children who have gone without food over the past 12 months as there’s nothing in the cupboard. And just because it’s the festive season, that’s unlikely to change for them when they wake up on Christmas day,” said Foodbank WA CEO, Greg Hebble.

“Not surprisingly, Christmas is one of our busiest times of the year, it’s when families have to decide between paying bills, putting food on the table or buying presents. That’s why we’re asking West Australians who can, to help us with our Hungry Puffs Christmas Appeal by buying boxes of them, so that we can put nutritious food in rumbling tummies and provide more than one million meals for people in need.”

“What we know is that when children are hungry, they struggle to concentrate and learn. And prolonged hunger can have profound effects on their physical and emotional health and well-being, which stops them reaching their full potential.”

31-year-old, single mum Janet Aszkielowicz is one of the many West Australians who struggle to make ends meet. Without Foodbank, Janet says she’d be constantly stressing about being able to put food on the table.

“When I first accessed Foodbank, I had a newborn and a one-year old and urgently needed food and toiletries, they helped us then and they’re still helping us today when money is tight,” said Janet.

“They are an amazing organisation who do a great job, I’d hate to think what I’d do without them. Christmas is a particularly stressful time of year, it’s a choice between food or presents but with Foodbank I don’t have to make that terrible choice and my children won’t have to go hungry.”

Last year, Foodbank WA provided 6.1 million meals or more than 16,710 meals a day to Western Australians in need, but the ever-growing demand for food far outweighs the organisation’s supply of rescued and donated food.

“Foodbank WA is the largest food relief organisation in the state and these days there’s no such thing as a typical client. While we’ve traditionally supported vulnerable groups in our society like seniors, the unemployed and homeless, more and more it’s the working poor we’re helping because they’re not earning enough money to get by,” added Mr Hebble.

“This year Foodbank released its first ever national research into the prevalence and effects of child hunger, which revealed that 1 in 5 Australian kids live in food insecure households and have gone without food in the past 12 months.”

To help make a difference to someone in need, boxes of Hungry Puffs can be purchased online and will also be available at participating IGA’s from next Monday.

“Because Foodbank WA is a charity, we’ve produced a limited number of Hungry Puffs boxes which will be on display at participating IGA’s. Rather than taking an empty box home, we’re asking people to take a Hungry Puffs flyer that are located next to the boxes in the cereal aisle, scan it at the checkout as many times as you like to make a donation to Foodbank WA.”

Every $5 box purchased will help provide 10 meals, donate online today.