• admin@secondbite.org
  • 1800 263 283
SecondBite
  • Donate
  • Offcanvas Icon
    • HOME
    • DONATE FUNDS
    • DONATE FOOD
    • IN NEED OF FOOD?
    • ABOUT US
      • WHO WE ARE
      • OUR MISSION & VISION
      • OUR BOARD
      • OUR TEAM
      • CAREERS
      • RESOURCES
    • SUPPORT US
      • MAKE A DONATION
      • DONATE FOOD
      • CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS
      • WILLS AND BEQUESTS
      • VOLUNTEER WITH US
        • FOR CORPORATES
        • FOR INDIVIDUALS
    • OUR PARTNERS
      • CORPORATE PARTNERS
      • COMMUNITY PARTNERS
      • AMBASSADOR PARTNERS
      • CASE STUDIES
    • NEWS
    • CONTACT US
    • Menu Offcanvas Sidebar
  • admin@secondbite.org
  • 1800 263 283
  • DONATE FUNDS
  • DONATE FOOD
  • IN NEED OF FOOD?
SecondBite
  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
    • WHO WE ARE
    • OUR MISSION & VISION
    • OUR BOARD
    • OUR TEAM
    • CAREERS
    • PUBLICATIONS
  • SUPPORT US
    • MAKE A DONATION
    • DONATE FOOD
    • CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS
    • WILLS AND BEQUESTS
    • VOLUNTEER WITH US
      • FOR CORPORATES
      • FOR INDIVIDUALS
    • FUNDRAISE FOR US
  • OUR PARTNERS
    • CORPORATE PARTNERS
    • COMMUNITY PARTNERS
    • AMBASSADOR PARTNERS
    • CASE STUDIES
  • NEWS
  • CONTACT US
  • Notification
Frank (L) and Shirley load donations into the Kings Community Care van with help from volunteer Cameron.

Coles The Pines store manager Frank McDermott is a passionate advocate for SecondBite and its local charity partners on the Gold Coast and uses his platform not only to inspire and engage his store team members, but his 25,000 customers as well. In almost eight years of food collections The Pines store has donated more than 40,000 kg of food to SecondBite and its charity partners.

Born in Belfast and growing up on council estates in South London, Frank knows all too well how it feels to go without. As one of five children to an absent father and a mother who worked three jobs, there were often tough choices to be made – pay the electric bill or put food on the table.

Franks says, “I’ve been that hungry kid, so now that I have a platform to make a difference that’s what I’m going to do. I’m passionate about leading and inspiring my team to make a difference as well. Last year our store raised more than $20,000 for SecondBite in our ‘Walk For A Cause’, and we’ve entered again this year. If you can help in some way, however small, you should. It’s as simple as that.”

Frank’s team recently rallied again for flood affected communities on the Gold Coast and throughout northern NSW. At the time of publishing, the store had collected 35 pallets (and counting) of donated dried foods, cleaning equipment and first aid supplies to donate to SecondBite charity partner Kings Community Care.

Manager of Emergency Relief and Operations, Shirley Sykes, has been gratefully organising deliveries of the donated products every few days with her team, distributing to relief centres in Lismore, Woodburn and Ballina.

One of the 35 pallets of good donated by Coles The Pines shoppers

Shirley says the eight-year partnership with SecondBite has been invaluable and being connected to fresh food and bread collections from five Coles stores in the region each week has made a huge difference to the support she can provide her clients and others.

“We started working with Frank and his team on donation pallets for the Coles Christmas appeal a few years ago, and Frank was onboard straight away; he couldn’t have been more supportive.”

“When the floods hit, I saw a Facebook post from a former colleague whose community was in real trouble. I asked what was needed and she said ‘everything.’ That very day I saw Frank and he put the donation pallets out the front of his store immediately. That was a Thursday, and by Saturday there were already seven full-to-the-brim pallets waiting for me to collect.”

In the ensuing weeks, that count has gone up to 35 pallets and Shirley and her team has made several trips to affected communities. She says, “The people are just overwhelmed, and so grateful for the help.” 

In ‘normal’ times, Shirley organises the weekly food collections from Coles stores and with the help of SecondBite has set up Kings Community Care as a central hub for other services to come to for support, increasing the capacity to provide food relief to many more people doing it tough in the community.  

The last word comes from Frank. “Sometimes you think the world is a horrible place, but the community really comes together in tough times, and people are so generous.”

None more so than Frank McDermott.

____________________________________________________________________

Tags: australia charity ending hunger ending waste food charity food rescue Government schoolfundraiser secondbite sustainability tech waste technology technology waste

Previous Story
Reviving the village in Bankstown
Next Story
New Government must commit to essential food relief sector  

Recent Posts

  • FoodShare volunteers give back to flood affected community Wednesday, 16, Nov
  • Urban Angels delivers nutritious meals in support of flood relief Monday, 3, Oct
  • NOTCH delivers more than food to Far North Queensland community Friday, 29, Jul
  • 22km Gold Coast ‘Walk For A Cause’ supports Aussies in need Friday, 8, Jul
  • Winter’s bite harsher than ever for many Aussies Thursday, 23, Jun
  • Coles Winter Appeal 2022 Wednesday, 22, Jun
  • Who can? Cavendish Road State High School students can! Wednesday, 15, Jun

E-newsletter

Handy Links

  • Donate
  • Food Finder
  • FAQs
  • Contact

News

  • FoodShare volunteers give back to flood affected community Wednesday, 16, Nov
  • Urban Angels delivers nutritious meals in support of flood relief Monday, 3, Oct
  • NOTCH delivers more than food to Far North Queensland community Friday, 29, Jul
  • 22km Gold Coast ‘Walk For A Cause’ supports Aussies in need Friday, 8, Jul
  • Winter’s bite harsher than ever for many Aussies Thursday, 23, Jun
  • Coles Winter Appeal 2022 Wednesday, 22, Jun
  • Who can? Cavendish Road State High School students can! Wednesday, 15, Jun

Contact Info

Head office

93 Northern Road
Heidelberg West, VIC 3081

Telephone

1800 263 283

Contact Us

admin@secondbite.org

Become Volunteer

admin@secondbite.org

SecondBite is a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission and is a Deductible Gift Recipient.
Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible. ABN 66 116 251 613

Copyright ©2020 SecondBite. All Rights Reserved

Search