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Seeking a Volunteer Coordinator - part-time position
Applications have closed for our new Volunteer Co-ordinator position.
We have been overwhelmed by the response and thank you for your interest.
Applications are currently being reviewed and we shall get back to applicants soon.
We appreciate your patience.
Vanessa's run for FareShare
Our very own Wednesday morning volunteer Vanessa Bolton is undertaking a 100kms walk in September – with funds raised for FareShare – and she is seeking your support too.
Vanessa has been volunteering in the FareShare kitchen for the last 12 twelve months and has seen firsthand the wonderful work that is done here. Vanessa says, “It is great to be a part of an organization that is contributing to our society in such an amazing manner”.
Here is a bit more of what Vanessa says: “I have been living In Australia for about 25 years. I feel privileged to live in this country. I was born and raised in Chile, South America. I know what is like to grow up with a limited amount of food and knowing what it is like to feel hungry as a child. It is not something I would want any child or person to experience, but as we know in this world many people go hungry every day. This country has an abundance of food, but much of this food is wasted - and this is where FareShare fits in.
FareShare is an organization that has become very close to my heart. I first read about FareShare in the magazine Runners World. It had an article about Marcus Godinho CEO of FareShare. It talked about Marcus' running, but also more importantly about FareShare and the work they do. This inspired me to volunteer.
I have been running on and off for the last 20 years. I completed my first half marathon in 2008. After that I set my mind on completing a marathon, which I did in October 2010. Since then I have completed another two marathons and five ultra-marathons. I have never run 100 km - my longest ultra-distance to date has been 56 km. I decided to take on the solo 100 km challenge and raise funds for this amazing organization at the same time. Please help me in this endeavour to raise much needed funds for this organization.
You won’t be surprised to hear that Vanessa runs here to her shift on Wednesday morning (a mere 10kms) and often runs home again at the end!
We all think she is pretty inspiring – and we ask you to support Vanessa’s personal challenge and FareShare at this link http://personalchallenge.gofundraise.com.au/page/BoltonV
FareShare Schools Run Program
Watch a video about our Schools Run Program.
FareShare secures new premises to cook one million meals
FareShare is rescuing, cooking and redistributing more food than ever before, but unfortunately it's not enough. Research shows that the need in the community is increasing, and that agencies providing food relief to hungry Victorians are struggling to meet the demand.
While FareShare is able to access more food, our kitchen has been operating at full capacity for quite some time. In order to provide more food to more agneices, we need a bigger kitchen. After fundraising and looking for suitable premises for over a year, we finally found a building ideally suited to our needs and very close ot our currrent location. The purchase contact was, however, subject to obtaining approval from the City of Yarra to use the premises as a commercial kitchen - and we needed the permit within 90 days.
We are delighted to announce the Council permission came through without a hitch, and settlement took place on 29 September! We are also delighted to reveal that our new location will be less than 100 metres from where we are now in Thompson Street - just a short walk across the road and down the lane to 1-7 South Audley Street. CUB will kindly allow us to continue to use their car park, so whether our volunteers arrive by car, tram, bus, bike, or on foot, they will hardly notice the difference.
Happily, the building is in good condition and will need relatively minor modification to adapt it to our needs. There's a lot to be done before we can open our doors, though, because we're actually setting up two separate kitchens. Linked by shared dish washing and storage areas, one kitchen will focus on producing predominantly wet meals and the other will be a pastry kitchen producing quiches and vegetable and sausage rolls. The main production ktichen will be staffed by regular volunteers, while the second kitchen will host school groups in the morning, corporate groups in the afternoon and regular volunteers at night.
Needless to say, we are already working hard to get the new facility designed, fitted out and in production just as soon as we can. Our Production Manager, Kellie Watson, is deep in discussions with specialist commercial kitchen designers to ensure that our food will be delivered, prepared, cooked, packed, packed and despatched in a logical, efficient and safe flow.
It is very exciting to see the new ktichen finally under way, but our actual relocation date is still unknown. Depending on the final design, the amounf of building works required, and any further Council approvals that may be necessary, we very much hope to have the new facility up and running in the first half of 2013. We'll keep you posted.
Food poetry for thought...
Kirsti Whalen is an award winning writer and poet based in Melbourne. She wrote a poem Dirty about her 'dumpster diving' experience especially for a FareShare fundraiser night held by Arts in Action... Enjoy her delicious words here...!
Four volunteers and FareShare receive awards from Adam Bandt
Community organisation FareShare and three of its volunteers have been awarded with four MP’s National Volunteer Awards for their combined 20 years of dedication. Volunteers Geoff Kelly, Mark Knight and Sandy Dudakov, along with FareShare, will receive their awards from Federal Member of Parliament The Hon. Adam Bandt on Wednesday 7 March, 2012.
FareShare will be awarded with the Innovation in Volunteering category award for eleven years of providing the homeless and hungry with nutritious meals across Melbourne. Volunteers Geoff Kelly and Mark Knight will receive MP’s Volunteer of the Year awards, and Sandy Dudakov will receive an award for Long Term Commitment to Community Service.
FareShare CEO Marcus Godinho said, “It is fantastic to see our hard-working volunteers receive recognition from Adam Bandt on behalf of the wider community. Our volunteers give their time so readily to help us in the kitchen, and assist us in growing the organisation. What Geoff, Mark and Sandy contribute to FareShare is invaluable, and it’s a real honour that they have been recognised for their hard work.”
Geoff Kelly has been volunteering with FareShare since 2004 in the kitchen, helping to assemble and pack meals heading off to more than 200 charities. Geoff is vision impaired and was declared legally blind around the time he began volunteering with FareShare, having an impact on his ability to travel to and from the FareShare kitchen, and the type of tasks he can complete.
Mark Knight has been volunteering with FareShare since October 2009, and is now a shift supervisor in the kitchen. Mark travels from Ballarat five times a fortnight to complete his shifts, and his interest in volunteering has lead him to undertake a Graduate Diploma in International and Community Development. Mark’s enthusiasm in the kitchen has been a great asset to the FareShare team.
Lastly, Sandy’s commitment to the FareShare team as a volunteer and as a member of the Board of Management has been monumental in the development of the organisation. Sandy saw the restrictions FareShare encountered in their formative years by not having its own kitchen, and in time helped establish its current kitchen in Abbotsford. Sandy was also instrumental in forming the relationship with food donor Woolworths.
FareShare on 7 News
http://au.news.yahoo.com/video/national/watch/27569941/885608/
Schools in the Kitchen
FareShare pilots secondary school students volunteering in the kitchen while learning about food insecurity and food waste.
Enquiries - please call Sandy Dudakov, FareShare Vice-President and volunteer, 0412 200 050.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/fare-fit-for-sharing-with-needy/story-fn6bfmgc-1226067475051
Newman's Own Foundation announces major FareShare grant
FareShare has received an incredible shot-in-the-arm thanks to generosity of the Newman’s Own Foundation. The US Foundation, established by the late actor, philanthropist and keen cook Paul Newman, has donated US$300,000 towards FareShare’s new kitchen.
Over the past three years FareShare has tripled its daily production to 2,000 quiches, casseroles, pastas, curries and other meals. However, our recent research indicates that we need to double our production again to provide Victorian charities with as many FareShare meals as they can use to support people struggling with the rising costs of living and in particular food. That’s one million meals per annum.
The Newman’s Own Foundation grant will make a big dint in the provisional kitchen budget. The Foundation’s Global President and CEO, Robert H Forrester announced the support during a recent visit to Australia. Robert’s trip celebrated Newman’s Own’s distribution of an incredible $300 million since it began.
This year the Foundation will distribute $2 million in Australia alone, with an emphasis on nutrition. Given this focus it’s not surprising that Robert, Sue Home and their colleagues selected FareShare and our Sydney sister organisation OzHarvest to receive the two flagship grants.
FareShare’s relationship with the Foundation stems from our relationship with Woolworths. It was Woolworths’ Scott Eames who suggested that Newman’s Own support FareShare a couple of years. We are forever in debt to Scott for his introduction.
Our number one priority now is to secure a premises in which to establish a new kitchen. As volunteers are critical to our operation, and Abbotsford is such a convenient location for our regular volunteers and corporate groups, we hope to find something close to our existing kitchen.
We are already looking forward to Robert’s next visit to Australia and to showing off a new kitchen.
Feed Melbourne 2010 Winners announced
Congratulations to the following organisations for winning a FareShare and Leader Community Newspapers Feed Melbourne award:
Banyule Community Health
Bestchance Child Family Care
Combined Churches Caring Melton
Cornerstone Contact Centre
Cranbourne Family Support Centre
Diamond Valley Food Share
Granya House – Albury Wodonga Region Community Care
Kingston City Church & Heatherton Christian College
Lighthouse Foundation
Peninsula Life Care Inc
Richmond Hill Churches Food Centre
Salvos - Kingston Gardens
Street Smart
Theodora House Inc - Langwarrin
Wesley Footscray Outreach
Listen to an interview with two agencies which won awards
Linfox gets behind FareShare and OzHarvest
FareShare, OzHarvest and Linfox are excited to be announcing a new sponsorship of two leading Australian food rescue organisations.
FareShare shares Premier Sustainability Award
FareShare volunteer Sandy Dudakov wins inaugural Premier's Volunteering Leadership Award
At a ceremony at the Melbourne Museum on Saturday December 5 Premier John Brumby presented our very own Sandy Dudakov with an award celebrating her exceptional volunteer leadership skills and achievements.
This was the first year of the Premier’s Community Volunteering Awards, introduced to acknowledge the many organisations and individuals that are achieving amazing things in their communities.
FareShare nominated for two of the four categories, and was short listed for both – quite an achievement in itself, considering that we were up against more than 200 other entrants!
At that time, 20 volunteers were sourcing and picking up donated food from local traders. They worked one shift a week in a shared kitchen, and gave the meals they prepared to the Salvation Army.
Sandy quickly recognised the potential of the fledgling organisation and the difference that it could make – including the pleasure that it gave the volunteers – and has been a driving force behind FareShare’s growth ever since.
Premier John Brumby visits FareShare's kitchen
Victorian Premier John Brumby visited our kitchen during the last week of FareShare and Leader's Feed Melbourne campaign to encourage people to donate.
While he was working the quiche line, the Premier accounced that his Government through its Community Support Fund would donate $45,000 towards the campaign which guarantees every cent donated by the public, businesses and philanthropic foundations will be given to local food charities to help them give away more food to the growing number of people who are doing it tough.
In its first year, Feed Melbourne has raised over $250,000 for local food charities so far. While the Visy and Pratt Foundation made an incredibly generous donation of $100,000 to kick start the campaign, the majority of the money donated has come from members of the public. Melbourne restaurant chain Groove Chain has also been a big supporter donating 50 cents from every main course meal ordered at its five restaurants during the three month campaign.
To view a video of the Premier's visit click here.
Feed Melbourne's singles night makes 7,000 meals for charities
Mixing 200 single people with 1.5 tonnes of vegetables, 450 kilos of pastry and 750 kilos of fillings on Wednesday 2 September proved a recipe for success, producing 7,000 meals to feed hungry and homeless people in Melbourne.
The Feed Melbourne singles night was an event that gave people the opportunity to find partner while making a big difference to the hungry and homeless of
Feed
Single Volunteers was created by Melina Schamroth, Founder and CEO of m.a.d.woman. Schamroth joined forces with charity FareShare 18 months ago to run Cooking for a Cause events for singles which are now held weekly. On Wednesday 2 September the team of more than 200 heterosexual singles aged 25- 45, heterosexual singles aged over 45 and homosexual singles chopped and chatted their way through:
- 600kg sweet potatoes
- 600kg sweet potatoes
- 300 kg carrots
- 450 kg pastry
- 350 kg sausage roll mix
- 400 kg pie mix
- 100 dozen eggs
Fare Share CEO Marcus Godinho said the event far exceeded expectations. “If we did this regularly we would make enough meals so that people didn’t go hungry in
Schamroth said the positive feedback had been overwhelming. “People not only had an opportunity to find friendship or love, they all walked away knowing they had made an amazing difference to people who really needed help”.
Participant Helen Kaptain said the event was a really fun way to meet other people while contributing to Feed Melbourne.
Fellow participant Glenn McIvor said the event was fantastic. “It achieved spectacular results in feeding the needy and bringing a lot of like-minded people together in having fun”.
People who missed out on the event can still take part in Cooking for a Cause at FareShare in
Leading Chefs join Feed Melbourne
On Wednesday 19 August a number of Melbourne’s top chefs made soup which were served up to the public from soup vans in Federation Square from 5pm. Picture gallery from the event.
It was part of our efforts to raise awareness of hunger in greater Melbourne and raise funds for the many local charities that help people in their communities. It was part of our Feed Melbourne campaign.
Some of the chefs and restaurants taking place included:
1. Ian Curley, European
2. John Savage, Sofitel: making Sweetcorn velouté with smoked chicken and basil
3. Bistro Vue: French Onion Soup
4. Dallas Cuddy, Verge Restaurant
5. Holly Richmond, Sarti restaurant
6. Andrew Blake, Blakes restaurant: Lamb Harira.
7. Mo Vida restaurant
8. Matthew MacCartney, Chateau Yering
9. Pierre Khodja, Canvas Restaurant: Chorba Bissara
10. The Deanery
11. Botega Restaurant
12. Orange café
Heinz is also providing soup for the event.
We hope to see you down there for a warm cuppa.
Victorians reaching out to Feed Melbourne
Experts believe 370,000 Victorians will run out of food at some point this year and be unable to afford their next meal. The Feed Melbourne appeal, a joint initiative of FareShare, Leader Community Newspapers and Do Something, is a new local drive designed to help Victorians suffering from food insecurity.
Feed Melbourne aims to raise $1 million in public donations in just 3 months, from June to September, with the money being awarded to charities providing regular meals to those most in need across Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Feed Melbourne aims to:
· raise funds to support existing charities to store and distribute fresh food;
· raise awareness of the growing number of Victorians who are facing food insecurity; and
· demonstrate the enormous amount of fresh and edible food that is wasted or disposed of each year - food that could be given to those in need.
All of the $1 million raised by Feed Melbourne will go to charities to equip them with items such as vans, fridges and freezers to increase their ability to collect, store and distribute donated food. Any interested charities are invited to apply for a $10,000 Feed Melbourne award.
“Young people, single parents, low income families, the elderly, refugees, migrants and the homeless are most at risk of food insecurity”, said Dr Beverley Wood of the Victorian Local Governance Association. This is backed up by Community Indicators Victoria research showing that one in 10 Victorians are malnourished, go hungry or feel anxious because they cannot consistently afford or gain access to healthy and safe food.
The idea of a concerted campaign across Melbourne came to Toni Hetherington Leader’s Editor-in-Chief, after one of her Leader newspapers got behind a local food charity last year, helping it raise $10,000 from readers. Having demonstrated the power of the local press to encourage local community action, Ms Hetherington then contacted FareShare CEO Marcus Godinho, who explained the frustrating bottleneck caused by many charities not having the capacity to handle all the food that FareShare could provide to them.
“It’s in times like these when communities can pull together and make a real difference in people’s lives,” said Ms Hetherington. “With the public embracing the Feed Melbourne appeal with their donations, we can put food on the tables of thousands of people who may otherwise go hungry.”
“The growing number of people in Victoria going without food is largely hidden, but enormously crippling, especially in winter. One of the best things Feed Melbourne can do is help charities financially by increasing their capacity to receive more food donations and hand out more meals,” said Mr Godinho.
“Some charities we deal with regularly just can’t handle the volumes of food we could organise for them, because they simply can’t store it or distribute it – this is a terribly frustrating situation for us all, but we can pull together to change it.”
The recession is affecting people’s ability to put food on the table, said Do Something’s John Dee. “Hard-working Australians are finding themselves out of a job and unable to feed their families, while at the same time so much good food is being wasted. This is why we’ve come together to launch Feed Melbourne. We can’t sit by and do nothing while our fellow Australians go hungry, and we have the means to change that,” Mr Dee said.
Feed Melbourne patron Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday, is known for her generous support of a host of Victorian food charities over many years.
The Feed Melbourne campaign kicked off with an incredibly generous donation of $100,000 from the Pratt Foundation and Visy. "We think Feed Melbourne can change the map of hunger in this city. And, yes, all too many people just don't get enough to eat. The Pratt Foundation has had, and certainly the late Richard Pratt had, a long-standing interest in supporting food programs,” Pratt Foundation CEO Sam Lipski said.
Donations to Feed Melbourne are tax deductible and can be made online at:
www.FeedMelbourne.com.au, in person at any NAB branch or by calling (03) 9875 8383.
Picture gallery from the event.
FareShare shouts lunch for 1400 hungry players and volunteers at Homeless World Cup!
In December, homeless people from around the world converged in Melbourne for the 2008 Homeless World Cup. FareShare donated and provided lunches and snacks for 1,400 athletes and volunteers each day, from 1 -7 December.
Fareshare provided around 10,000 meals for athletes and volunteers. “It was a massive undertaking and all went smoothly”, reported Production Manager Julien Jane.
“A big thanks to the 350 FareShare volunteers who worked tirelessly to provide food for the week. One hundred and forty were on site at the Homeless World Cup to give out food, and 210 worked in our kitchen to prepare food”, she said.
We also thank the 40 Melbourne businesses that donated perfect, surplus food that would otherwise have gone to landfill, to enable us to support the Homeless World Cup. It is estimated that more than 20 tonnes was saved from landfill.
We also saved the event organisers, The Big Issue, an estimated $80,000 in catering costs.
Read more in our press release
Have a look at some pictures from the week.
