Dick Smith Foods today presented a record donation for $1 million to Aussie Helpers – the national charity assisting farmers who are battling to stay on the land.
It is the biggest single donation made by Dick Smith Foods in its 13-year history.
“I wanted to support Aussie Helpers because they provide tremendous help for struggling farmers across Australia,” Mr Dick Smith, Founder of Dick Smith Foods, said. “Plus it’s mainly run by volunteers and has hardly any overheads.”
In the past 18 months alone volunteers from Aussie Helpers, based in Queensland, have travelled 600,000 km to visit 1,300 families living on remote cattle stations. In some cases these families can only afford to eat every second day, and they don’t like putting their hand up for help. Aussie Helpers are there when they are needed most, providing food, emotional and psychological support, even if it’s just stopping in for a chat over a cuppa.
“The farming community badly needs our assistance. I was in Longreach recently and there was not one blade of grass in sight on much of the land,” Mr Smith said.
Dick Smith is passionate about the terrible plight of our farming communities and the hardships they face every day – hardships that most city-dwellers know little if anything about. He has long been an admirer of Brian Egan, the remarkable man who set up Aussie Helpers in 2002 from his home in Charleville and continues to work tirelessly championing farmers doing it tough.
“I’ve always thought we should be assisting his amazing work for the Australian farming community,” Mr Smith said.
Mr Egan gratefully accepted the million-dollar cheque, saying that he and everyone involved with Aussie Helpers was “astounded” at the generosity of Dick Smith Foods.
“I know Dick Smith is a staunch supporter of Aussie farmers, and this amount of money will be changing people’s lives for sure,” he said.
Dick Smith Foods have been giving their proceeds to charity for 13 years – a staggering $7.9 million to date (including the $1 million donation). But today’s presentation to Aussie Helpers is their biggest single donation ever.
“This will absolutely help people stay on their properties,” Mr Egan added.
To assist Aussie Helpers in its great work – or if you need help yourself – contact 1300 665 232 or visit www.aussiehelpers.org.au.
Australians can all do their bit by buying Dick Smith Foods, whose profits go 100 per cent to charity.
