7-Eleven is working with The Salvation Army to rescue food and redirect it to people in need, with $1.26 million in product donated since 2021.
Food Rescue expanded in 2022 to local-level food rescue through the new 7-Eleven Store to Corps program which rescues stock from individual stores and redirects it to frontline Salvation Army Corps.
Major Brendan Nottle, The Salvation Army Project 614 Commanding Officer, said in-kind donations help frontline Salvation Army services such as Project 614 support the growing number of people in need due to the increases in the cost of living.
“7-Eleven’s Store to Corps food donations have been providing approximately two lunch services and four dinner services a month to our clients at Project 614 for a number of months now. Across Salvation Army locations nationally, 7-Eleven has donated more than 4,000 individual meals since May this year.
“Being able to sit with someone and offer a coffee, a meal, or a treat gives us the chance to meet their immediate need whether that is hunger, safety, or shelter, and build the relationships needed to address some of the underlying issues.”
The Store to Corps program has been extended in 2024 and has secured a grant from the inaugural 7-Eleven International Grant Fund which supports licensees to enable projects providing global benefit and local impact.
Angus McKay, CEO and Managing Director of 7-Eleven Australia, said The Salvation Army local Corps are often limited in their refrigerated and frozen food storage, and the 7-Eleven International grant will help increase capacity enabling more food to be rescued.
“We are incredibly proud to have worked with The Salvation Army over the past eight years to support their work and our local communities.
“We are continuing to grow, particularly in the food space. To make a real difference to people and the planet, we wanted to reduce food waste, while not impacting our growth. The Store to Corps program enables us to increase the amount of food we rescue.”
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