COLES stores in Cairns will raise funds to build hope and resilience among young people across rural and regional areas through a partnership with the Artesian Foundation’s iconic Stock Up for Hope Charity Cattle Drove.
From now and until 17 September, Coles stores in Cairns will be among more than 150 stores across Queensland to donate 50 cents from each sale of Drovers Pride beef to the Stock Up for Hope initiative.
The initiative coincides with the fourth charity cattle drove making its way from Aramac to Longreach in the heart of outback Queensland.
Stock Up for Hope is designed to build the hope and resilience of young people in the bush through access to a school chaplain.
School chaplains are Australia’s largest youth worker network and rely on community support as they provide an objective, caring presence and listening ear to students in need.
Coles General Manager for Queensland Mark Scates called on shoppers in Cairns to purchase Drovers Pride beef to support the cause.
“Queensland has a proud agricultural heritage, with many people in regional and rural areas making a living from the industry, but it’s not an easy life for farmers and their families,” he said.
“There are more than 100,000 students across Queensland without access to a school chaplain – and 90 per cent of those students are in regional and rural areas where there are extra pressures associated with living off the land.
“The timing for the Drove and our fundraising program is now critical, with many in northern Australia struggling under the burden of drought and deflated cattle prices.
“It’s something we feel passionate about because many of our team members and customers live in these areas so they are directly affected.
“That is why Coles will donate 50 cents from each pack of Drovers Pride beef sold in Coles stores in Queensland to support the Stock Up for Hope initiative and we are hoping our customers in rural, regional and metropolitan areas will get behind us.”
Drovers Pride is produced by long-standing Coles supplier Australian Country Choice, which is a fourth generation family business with properties across Queensland.
Stock Up for Hope Director Duncan Brown welcomed Coles’ support.
“Through partnerships with companies like Coles, we can offer youth in the bush greater access to school chaplains to help them through tough times, such as family breakdown, low self-esteem, and suicide tendencies,” he said.
