Vehicle company helps drive food relief

The local dealership selected Shepparton Foodshare as the charity it wanted to support, with staff hoping to give back to the community that supported their business.

Darryl Twitt Ford representative Scott Mutimer said the team wanted to help people doing it tough.

“People are struggling. We wanted to try and give back to the community,” he said.

“Every little bit helps.”

Shepparton Foodshare chief executive Dee Healey said food donations had a ripple effect across the community, with supplies distributed for free through more than 120 agencies, including schools, neighbourhood houses and emergency relief services.

“Food drives diversify the food that we get out,” she said.

“Everything counts.”

Ms Healey said rising living costs were continuing to drive demand for food relief, making food drives an important way for businesses and community groups to support Foodshare.

“It's a really practical way for people to be able to help out,” she said.

She said the Ford donation contained “all the staples that we need”, including pasta, canned goods, instant noodles and pet food.

During the 2025-26 financial year, Shepparton Foodshare distributed the equivalent of about 1.4 million meals, an almost 50 per cent increase on the previous year.

Ms Healey said donations such as the Ford food drive helped Foodshare continue providing a variety of food to people across the region.