Plate Up Ballarat has announced the Ballarat Foundation as its official charity partner.
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The food festival offering a program of more than 50 culinary events throughout May will help raise funds and awareness for the Feed Ballarat Appeal.
More than 12 per cent of people in Ballarat rely on the food service charities each year.
Ballarat Foundation chief executive Matt Jenkins said the appeal aimed to unite the community in action to ensure every person, child and family has continuous access to safe and nutritious food.
"Plate Up Ballarat director Kate Davis asked us whether we would like to get involved. For us it was a no brainer. Food has the ability to connect people and that is essentially what we are about," he said.
Food has the ability to connect people and that is essentially what we are about.
- Matt Jenkins, Ballarat Foundation
"It is a great way for us to engage with the hospitality sector who are extremely generous and compassionate people, and a way to get the community on board - and while they are enjoying wonderful events and food it can be a reminder that not everyone has that privilege."
Plate Up Ballarat festival director Kate Davis said Plate Up was a community festival - "underpinning that is a need to holistically support our community".
"With Plate Up Ballarat we are talking about food, people enjoying nice food and local producers. It is really important we are taking care and responsibility to rid our community of hunger and food insecurity," she said.
Five Plate Up Ballarat events will fundraise for the Feed Ballarat Appeal.
Ticket holders can make gold coin donations at the Hump Day Food Truck event, Made of Ballarat Marketplace and the Ballarat Heritage Weekend Milk Bar and Co event.
Money from ticket sales for the Ballarat Foundation Food for Thought dinner and the Ballarat Trotting Club Feed Ballarat fundraising dinner will go to the appeal.
Tickets for all events are now on sale with an option to donate to Feed Ballarat at check out.
Watch the Ballarat Foundation's short film on food insecurity in Ballarat below.
The Ballarat Foundation's partnership with Plate Up Ballarat comes after impressive community involvement in Run for a Cause in November and a state government announcement of $5 million funding for the establishment of a Foodbank Hub in Ballarat.
Mr Jenkins said it was important to keep up the momentum and discussion to create positive change.
"Food security is an issue we were able to get wonderful exposure on last year, but as we have said all along this is not a quick fix. It is not an issue one food hub or one particular project will solve," he said.
"More than 12 per cent of the population are going hungry each and every year. As Ballarat's population grows and as other areas of disadvantage increase, people will still be going hungry.
"It is our role to keep discussion on this issue alive and make sure we continue to bring the community on board to work for solutions."
Funds from the Feed Ballarat Appeal will be allocated across the areas of emergency relief grants, food system infrastructure and prevention and education grants.
Mr Jenkins said the Ballarat Foundation expected to distribute grants to community organisations later this year with funding from the Feed Ballarat Appeal.
Visit plateupballarat.com.au to purchase tickets or feedballarat.org to donate to the appeal.
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