Exercise Pitch Black 24 was not just a major event for international Air Forces, but was also a significant opportunity for the Darwin community to take on the important role of hosting visiting personnel and supporting the month-long exercise.
Repaying the generosity, a group of Pitch Black participants from RAAF, the Royal Air Force (RAF), Royal New Zealand Air Force and Spanish Air and Space Force paused training to dedicate their morning to the local Foodbank.
Flying Officer Annika Zerbes, a RAAF nursing officer, expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to contribute.
"I've been posted to Darwin for two years now and haven't done anything like this before. It feels good to give back to the community and be a part of something like this - I'm really grateful to be here," Flying Officer Zerbes said.
The initiative involved Defence personnel rolling up their sleeves to sort through surplus food donations from local supermarkets. The produce, which would otherwise go to waste, is crucial to the Foodbank's mission of supporting disadvantaged and remote communities across the NT.
Foodbank SA & NT has been serving the Darwin community for more than 12 years, with a commitment to working to end hunger in the region. The not-for-profit organisation is Australia's largest food-relief organisation, providing more than 82 million meals a year to people in need.
RAF Sergeant John Bowen volunteered his time on top of his usual role in the RAF Military Police.
"It's been a great experience helping out the incredible volunteers who dedicate their time in order to support the people that need it most - within Darwin and the wider Northern Territory," Sergeant Bowen said.
The Pitch Black team was only the second corporate group to volunteer in the Foodbank NT warehouse, which officially opened in January this year.
The initiative gave international participants the opportunity to experience the 'true blue' Aussie nature of helping out a mate, displaying the growing bonds between nations throughout the exercise.
Community members are encouraged to support Foodbank through donating surplus grocery products to their local Foodbank warehouse, donating funds to support programs, or volunteering in local warehouses and 'Food Hubs' around SA and the NT.
