Feeding children and families with FareShare

September 2020

The damaging effects of hunger including decreased energy levels, poor concentration and impaired moods affect food insecure people of all ages but are especially harmful for those who are just starting out in life. Twenty-two percent of food-insecure parents report that their children go without fresh food for an entire day at least once a week (Food Hunger Bank 2019). These problems are often exacerbated in rural, regional and remote areas and were increased as a result of COVID-19.

FareShare rescues food that would otherwise go to waste and cooks free, nutritious meals for people in need. They distribute these meals by partnering with local community organisations and agencies who are on the ground and know where the need is the greatest. By harnessing the power of inter-agency collaboration FareShare meals can reach rural, regional, and remote communities that otherwise would not have access.

The John Villiers Trust grant to Fareshare provided the incentive, capacity and time to enable them to embed partnerships with grassroots organisations working within rural, regional and remote Queensland communities, for a newly established pipeline of healthy meal delivery to those hardest to reach.

Establishing embedded partnerships with agencies such as Metcash enables an ongoing, sustainable approach to providing meals to those who need it most. Metcash distribute FareShare meals through the local IGA distribution chain to organisations such as Goodnir Health Services in Dalby and St George, Cape York Partnerships who service schools in Cairns and ADRA Food Services in Townsville. It also enables FareShare to learn about the needs of regional communities and adapting FareShare meals, delivery options and packaging in response to partner’s feedback.

With the support of JVT, Fareshare exceeded the goal that was set to achieve distribution of 10,000 meals per week to regional people in need, through the creation of these partnerships with organisations on the ground in areas of country Queensland they had not been able to previously service.

“The backing of JVT has meant a real step change for Fareshare; we have been able to boost our capacity to cook and deliver free, nutritious, tasty meals to people living outside of SE Queensland.” Marcus Godinho, CEO FareShare.

“I am at the front line of student welfare and am able to get the meals directly to parents and carers who need it most. I asked some of the kids what the meals were like and their eyes lit up. They reckon they are fantastic. These are the kids who are unlikely to be provided a meal at home without this help. Being hungry makes it very difficult for them to learn.”

Representative from a school in Cairns who access their FareShare meals through Mission Australia.